The International Committee of the protection of press freedom and journalists’ rights expresses its deep concern about the facts of the systematic harassment of journalists by the Russian authorities. The International Committee for the Protection of the free press and rights of journalists regard this peculiar to totalitarian regimes, the dangerous trend of misunderstanding by the Russian authorities the vital importance of freedom of speech as one of the cornerstones of democracy and open society.
Non-disclosure of hitherto known murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, the highly suspicious circumstances of the attack in 2004 on the well-known Russian journalist Yelena Tregubova, suggesting involvement in the crimes of Russian special services, give grounds to conclude that the extensive harassment of journalists, publication of which run counter to official ideological Kremlin, are an integral part of public policy of the ruling regime of Russia.
The International Committee of the protection of press freedom and journalists’ rights views that they are entering the Russian journalist Yelena Tregubova’s petition for political asylum in the UK as a clear demonstration of the situation created by the Russian authorities can not work in Russia, a free media. The International Committee of the protection of press freedom and journalists’ rights requires the Russian government organization of a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances that compelled journalist Yelena Tregubova decision to seek asylum abroad, punish those responsible for her harassment and provide an environment in the country, which would preclude a future recurrence of such deviations from generally accepted norms of the civilized world of public policy.
The original of this document (in Russian) is available at pressguard.arbat.name