OSCE media freedom representative gravely concerned about continuing persecution of investigative journalists in Russia
VIENNA, 21 December 2009 - Citing two specific criminal cases, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Miklos Haraszti, called today for an end to the continuing persecution of independent journalism in Russia in a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
In the letter, Haraszti urged that media-hostile judicial practices be halted and that charges of journalistic offenses be handled in civil rather than criminal courts.
"Independent journalism in Russia is confronted with a wide array of repressive tools ranging from dubious charges to criminal libel lawsuits. This is a matter of grave concern," Haraszti said in the letter.
On 26 November 2009, a court in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, sentenced journalist Irek Murtazin to one year and nine months in a corrective labour colony on charges of defaming Mintimer Shaimiyev, the Republic's president. In addition, Murtazin was convicted of invasion of privacy, incitement to hatred and debasement of human dignity.
The combined charges stem from an investigative book, newspaper articles and blog entries, in which Murtazin criticized the top leadership of the Republic of Tatarstan.
In his letter to Lavrov, Haraszti also discussed the sentencing of 24-year-old journalist Aygul Makhmutova.
Makhmutova, the chief editor of a small Moscow community newspaper that reported on controversial development plans by local businesses, was indicted with fraud, extortion and assault of officials. In two separate trials, a Moscow district court sentenced her to a cumulative five-and-a-half years in a corrective labour colony.
Acknowledging legal flaws, a higher court on 4 December annulled the second of the two verdicts. However, Makhmutova remains in custody to serve her first sentence.
"Makhmutova and Murtazin should be released and charges brought against them dropped. Attempts at curtailing investigative reporting, which is essential for the role of the press in a democratic society, violate OSCE media freedom commitments and principles," Haraszti said.
"As Russian media associations have long been demanding, the judicial handling of journalism should be altogether de-criminalized."