Russian editor released after months in detention; case still pending
New York, June 21, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the recent release of Vladimir Chugunov, founder and editor of the independent weekly Chugunka inthe town ofSolnechnogorsk, who had been held incommunicado since January 21 on a charge of “threatening to murder or cause serious health damage.” The criminal case is still pending, however, and…
Investigative reporter shot, wounded in Moscow
New York, June 15, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists denounces the shooting of investigative reporter Andrei Kalitin, who had been working on a book alleging criminal dealings in Russia’s aluminum business. Kalitin, 37, was shot in the shoulder Wednesday evening as he was leaving his home to meet with a colleague, according to local media…
RUSSIA: Court orders Kommersant to pay damages to Chechen leader
JUNE 12, 2007 Posted June 26, 2007 Kommersant LEGAL ACTION On June 12, the Moscow City Court upheld an earlier verdict by Tverskoi District Court in Moscow and pronounced the independent business daily Kommersant guilty of defaming Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.
Court tosses out charges against journalism foundation director
New York, June 3, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the Russian Constitutional Court’s verdict on May 27, which proclaimed criminal charges brought against the former head of the now-shuttered Educated Media Foundation (EMF) to be unconstitutional. The court specified that the case should be tried in a civil court. Manana Aslamazian, director of the…
Russian investigators eye ’private life’ motive in Safronov probe
New York, May 21, 2007—Russian authorities are believed to be focusing on Kommersant reporter Ivan Safronov’s private life as the likely motive in his mysterious death in March, several Russian news outlets reported over the weekend. The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities today to give thorough consideration to Safronov’s sensitive professional work as…
Police detain foreign journalists on the way to opposition rally
May 18, 2007 Adrian Bloomfield, The Daily TelegraphAlan Cullison, Wall Street JournalAllard Detiger, Dutch Broadcasting Foundation Boris Raitshuster, Focus HARASSED Russian police detained three foreign journalists in a Moscow airport as they prepared to fly to the southern city of Samara to cover a rally led by former chess world champion and Kremlin critic Garry…
As world press event approaches, Russian agency evicts journalist union
New York, May 16, 2007—A federal property agency is evicting the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) from its Moscow offices as the press organization is preparing for the 26th World Congress of Journalists, an international gathering of media workers starting on May 28 in Russia’s capital. The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply troubled by…