Media Situation in Russia Still Bleak - Organization
MOSCOW. Jan 12 (Interfax) - The year 2010 "has brought no noticeable improvements or deteriorations" to the media situation in Russia or the rights of journalists, said a Russian group whose declared tasks are defense of freedom of expression and the rights of media.
Image adapted from version copyright (c) 2010. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036 www.rferl.org
"Altogether 1,590 conflicts were registered last year compared with 1,537 in 2009, 1,450 in 2008, 1,502 in 2007, and 1,345 in 2006," the Glasnost Defense Foundation said in a statement.
"Senior officials at various levels continued to promise to punish those who raised obstacles to the free work of the press, but pressure on journalists and the mass media was not becoming any weaker. Among other things, it manifested itself in assaults on journalists and editorial offices that were taking place everywhere and constantly, the prosecution of journalists, threats, censorship, and arrests of correspondents while they were carrying out their professional duties. This way of raising obstacles to the work of journalists is worth pointing out as one of the more noticeable trends - the number of media personnel arrested during work at various outdoor events increased considerably," the statement said.
The Foundation said 12 journalists were killed in 2010. Nine were killed in 2009, five in 2008, eight in 2007 and nine in 2006.
Fifty-eight journalists were victims of violent assaults last year. Fifty-nine were attacked in 2009, 69 in 2008, 75 in 2007, and 69 in 2006.
There were also eight raids on editorial offices compared with 10 in 2009, seven in 2008, 11 in 2007, and 12 in 2006.
Forty-five journalists came under prosecution compared with 37 in 2009, 47 in 2008, 46 in 2007, and 48 in 2006.
Police, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and other law enforcement agencies arrested 90 journalists, compared with 62 in 2009, 78 in 2008, 140 in 2007, and 75 in 2006.
There were 12 instances of electronic media being taken off air compared with 20 instances in 2009, 21 in 2008, 27 in 2007, and 18 in 2006.
There were also 62 instances where printed media were closed down compared with 82 instances in 2009, 41 in 2008, 15 in 2007, and 26 in 2006.
Printed editions were seized on 23 occasions compared with 19 in 2009, 31 in 2008, 92 in 2007, and 28 in 2006.
There were 58 instances of obstacles being raised to websites compared with 57 in 2009, 40 in 2008, and 41 in 2007.
There were also 21 instances of computers and photographic, video or audio equipment being seized or damaged compared with 25 in 2009 and 31 in 2008.
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