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The Bureau of the Central Council of the Yabloko Association
considers the actions of the authorities in respect on the NTV
channel and other mass media within the Media-Most holding to
be implementation of another political order. These actions are
targeted at final liquidation of the mass media that are independent
of the state.
The reference to the norms of the Civil Code can not serve a
justification of the lawfulness of the actions of the tax inspectorate,
which has been selectively applying this norm in respect of a
certain group of the mass media, neglecting a huge number of other
legal entities that are in the same situation.
Such selectivity in the application of the law has been turning
into a norm for the law enforcement agencies, which efficiency
in implementation of their main task - fight with crime- has been
progressively dropping, whereas these agencies have been increasingly
used as an instrument of political blackmail.
We are drawing the attention to the fact that liquidation of
the NTV will affect not only the freedom of speech, but also the
whole political system of Russia. Today NTV remains the sole national
tribune that may be used by representatives of all the leading
political forces to address society. The other two national channels
are controlled by the authorities and are subject to political
censorship. Liquidation of NTV or its transfer into state control
will mean the virtual disappearance of public politics in Russia.
The direct instrument of implementation of the political order
is the Office of the Public Prosecutor of the RF and personally
Mr. Ustinov.
The Bureau of the Central Council of the Yabloko Association
lays the full responsibility for the prosecution of NTV on the
President of the Russian Federation and believes that he can not
evade the public assessment of these events.
Protection of independent mass media is our political priority.
We declare our readiness to withstand the arbitrary rule with
all legal methods, including extra-parliamentary ones. We are
calling all the people who consider democracy and the freedom
of speech their prime values to unite for their protection.
Chairman of the Yabloko Association
Grigory Yavlinsky
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