Remembrance Day for Killed Journalists in Russia a reminder of the importance of investigating all attacks on journalists, OSCE Representative says
VIENNA, 15 December 2015 – On the occasion of Remembrance Day for Killed Journalists in the Russian Federation, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović reiterated her call on the authorities to investigate all killings of journalists and to end impunity.
“Journalists in Russia are far too often subject to acts of intimidation, threats and attacks. Sadly, some of these brave members of the media have paid the ultimate price for their fearless work,” Mijatović said.
Annually on 15 December since 1991, the Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ) has marked a Remembrance Day for Killed Journalists who died while performing their professional duties.
“These courageous members of the media represent the vanguard for free expression and free media,” Mijatović said. “Inadequate reaction to crimes against journalists breeds a climate of fear and injustice not only for those subject to these attacks, but also for society as a whole.”
In a letter addressed to the Chair of RUJ, Vsevolod Bogdanov, on the Remembrance Day, Mijatović expressed solidarity with RUJ and the families of those journalists who sacrificed their lives performing their professional duties.
“It is an important occasion which reminds us all that attacks against journalists should be vigorously investigated by the state authorities, and the perpetrators and the masterminds prosecuted,” Mijatović wrote in the letter.
The Russian Federation is the OSCE participating State with the highest number of journalists attacked and killed in the past 15 years. Among them are:
- Kazbek Gekkiyev (VGTRK),
- Anna Politkovskaya (Novaya Gazeta),
- Yury Shchekochikhin (Novaya Gazeta),
- Paul Klebnikov (Forbes),
- Natalya Estemirova (Novaya Gazeta)
- Magomed Yevloyev (Ingushetiya news portal),
- Ivan Safronov (Kommersant),
- Igor Domnikov (Novaya Gazeta),
- Vladislav Listyev (ORT),
- Dmitry Kholodov (Moskovsky Komsomolets),
- Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev (Novoe Delo),
- Khadzhimurad Kamalov (Chernovik),
- Abdulmalik Akhmedilov (Hakikat), and many others.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.