Freedom of the press in Russia
Encyclopedia
The issue of freedom of the press in Russia involves both the ability of directors of mass media
outlets to carry out independent policies and the ability of journalists to access sources of information and to work without outside pressure. Media of Russia
include television
and radio
channels, periodicals, and Internet
media, which according to the laws of the Russian Federation may be either state or private property.
Various aspects of the contemporary press freedom situation are criticized by multiple international organisations. According to International Press Institute, the Russian law
s, bureaucratic regulation
s and politically motivated criminal investigations have forced the press into self-censorship
. According to International Press Institute, Russia is the most dangerous European country for journalists. According to Human Rights Watch, the Russian government control over civil society through selective implementation of the law, restriction and censure.
In 2009 Reporters Without Borders
ranked Russia 153rd out of 175 in the Press Freedom Index
.
According to the Commissioner for Human Rights of Russia Vladimir Lukin
, the constitutional norm of freedom of speech is basically observed, additionally there is no institutionalised censorship.
. The Constitutional speech freedom norm guarantees the freedom of ideas and speech for everyone, as well as the right "to freely look for, receive, transmit, produce and distribute information by any legal way". With that, the propaganda instigating social, racial, national or religious hatred or supremacy is banned. The Constitutional norm provides for the freedom of mass communication, while Censorship is banned.
The important law in context of the media freedom is the 1991 Law "On mass media", that guarantees freedom of expression for media, journalists' rights and citizens' right for information. According to Gil-Robles, the Law has a strong democratic character; once put into practice it fostered the media freedom development and prompted an increase in the number of publications, as well as television and radio channels. The Law is the key text and guarantor for Russian media.
However, the 2006 Federal Law on Combating the Terrorism and the 2006 Law on Counteracting the Extremist Activity, along with the Federal List of Extremist Materials
, became a matter of concern of both domestic and international observers.
The Human Rights Committee
of United Nations
criticized the lack of precision in the definitions of terrorism and terrorist activity, the counter-terrorist regime being not subject to any requirement of justification, as well as the lack of legal provision for the authorities' obligation to protect human rights in the context of a counter-terrorist operation.
The Human Rights Committee
of United Nations
welcomed the adoption in 2009 of the Law "On the securing of access to information on the activities of the courts of the Russian Federation".
Federal Law "On Guarantees of Equality of Parliamentary Parties in Covering their Activities by the National State-Owned TV and Radio Channels" adopted in May 2009 guarantees that each Parliamentary Party must enjoy equal share of coverage at state-owned national TV and radio channels. Independency of editorial policies towards viewing Parliamentary parties, as well as citizens right to be comprehensively and unbiasedly informed of parties activities are stipulated by the Law. Control over the proper fulfilment of this Law is performed by the Central Election Committee of Russia with participants of Parliamentary parties, since September 2009.
A new law to be implemented at the beginning of 2009 will allow reporters investigating corruption in Russia to be protected. Under new legislation, they will be able to apply for special protection, like court witnesses. The new law is part of a grander national plan to fight corruption in Russia, an area that President Dmitry Medvedev
has focused much of his attention on.
, named officially the Commissioner for Human Rights, is appointed for a certain term by the Parliament
. The ombudsman cannot be dismissed before the end of his term, and is not subordinate to any body of power, including the President or the Government
. Russia’s 83 administrative regions has the right to elect a local ombudsman whose authority is limited to that region. Less than half have done so.
Russian Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin
reported in 2006, that suggesting that freedom of speech is non-existent in Russia would be an exaggeration, the constitutional right for speech freedom is basically observed, as well as there's no institutionalised censorship. Apparently for these very reasons journalists and publishers seldom appeal to the Commissioner protesting restrictions of their right of seeking, receiving, transferring, publishing or distributing information. Yet disguised restrictions exist to a considerable degree, they are often put through the economic pressure on mass media by the authorities and loyal business. The so-called "self-censorship" which induces journalists to refrain from disseminating information which, in their opinion, may not please the authorities, is also widespread. So in many places the right to praise the authorities is ensured, while the opposite right is just formally declared.
In 2008 annual report Vladimir Lukin wrote, that it's important to have the comprehensive legal interpretation of the terms that may limit the freedom of thought and word. He spoke against the election legislation amendment that is "a practical prohibition" of contesting candidates criticism, calling it obviously excessive. And Lukin was critical about the Law on combating extremist activities, noting that extremism and dissent must be strictly legally divided.
started with the policy of Glasnost
, meaning openness or freedom of speech. As stated by Gil-Robles, that policy is still regarded within the Russian society as one of the most precious achievements of Perestroika
.
According to Gil-Robles, the contemporary state of media freedom follows on from the proactive policy pursued by the Russian authorities at the beginning of the 1990s. During the 1990s the Russian society went through a period of rapid development of the traditional media.
As stated by the BBC, two of the three main federal channels Channel One
and Russia TV are controlled by the government controls while state-controlled energy giant Gazprom
owns NTV.
In February 2011 Guardian
journalist Luke Harding
, from Britain, was refused entry into Russia, contrary to OCSE regulations. He thus became the first foreign journalist to be expelled from Russia since the end of the Cold War
. Some linked his expulsion with unflattering coverage of Russia, including speculation about Vladimir Putin
's wealth. On 9 February Russia reversed the decision.
among them, have bought several of the most influential papers. According to Freedom House, the Russian government owns 60 percent of newspapers, and in whole or in part, all national television stations. A news report in Kommersant
suggested that the last two remaining semi-independent television channels REN TV and Channel 5
may become under state control in 2010.
will retain their independent editorial policy and won't be under state control.
In 2007, a report by professor of politics Nicolai N. Petro asserted that foreign companies owned shares in over half of all Russian broadcasting companies and not the state. According to him, the Russian state's share in the newspaper and journal market is estimated to be less than 10%, while its share in electronic media is even smaller.
Russian head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said in a 2005 interview that there were no differences between freedom of speech in Russia and Western countries in regards to the printed media: "there is an enormous amount of newspapers which write any sort of stuff." Speaking of electronic media, he acknowledged that they were mainly under the control of the authorities, but added that that's not a specifically Russian phenomenon.
According to the BBC, the Russian newspaper market offers its consumers a more diverse range of views than those same consumers can sample on the country's leading television channels.
According to Vedomosti
newspaper, in 2009 Rupert Murdoch
's corporation failed to sell its three popular Russian radio stations because it didn't manage to find buyers for them.
, the pressure on Russian independent media outlets and their employees increased considerably in 2007. The government use variety of methods to control of broadcasters, to sideline critical journalists, and to intimidate them into self-censorship.
According to International Press Institute, even bolder publications have to curtail their coverage to avoid problems with the authorities.
In 2008 Amnesty International criticized the run-up to parliamentary and presidential elections as "a clampdown on the freedoms of assembly and expression", stating that "the authorities have violently dispersed some opposition demonstrations, while pro-government events have gone ahead without interference."
commented that in the period of 1990s freedom of press in Russia "was indeed under threat, not from the former state ideology that once held a monopoly on expression, but from the dictates of oligarchic capital". http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2006/06/05/1842_type82912type84779_106514.shtml When asked about media freedom in 2006 interview with NBC
TV channel, Putin replied: "We have more than 3,500 television and radio companies here in Russia and state participation in them is decreasing with every passing year. As for print media, there are more than 40,000 publications and we could not control them all even if we wanted to."
In May 2008 the International Federation of Journalists
welcomed signs of a "fresh start" in relations between the authorities and independent media in Russia.
In November 2008 Address President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev
acknowledged problems with the Russian media:
The policies adopted in that address answered that criticism the following way:
In May 2009, a Federal Law "On Guarantees of Equality of Parliamentary Parties in Covering their Activities by the National State-Owned TV and Radio Channels" was adopted.
In November 2009 Address Dmitry Medvedev
recommended all regions of the Russian Federation to pass laws on guarantees of equal media coverage of activity of parties represented in regional parliaments.
Since the early 1990s, a number of Russian reporters who have covered the situation in Chechnya
, contentious stories on organized crime, state and administrative officials, and large businesses have been killed. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
, since 1992, 50 journalists have been murdered for their professional activity in Russia (which made it the third deadliest country for journalist in the 1992–2006 period): 30 journalists from 1993 to 2000, and 20 journalists since 2000.
According to Glasnost Defence Foundation, there were 9 cases of suspicious deaths of journalists in 2006, as well as 59 assaults on journalists, and 12 attacks on editorial offices. In 2005, the list of all cases included 7 deaths, 63 assaults, 12 attacks on editorial offices, 23 incidents of censorship, 42 criminal prosecutions, 11 illegal layoffs, 47 cases of detention by militsiya
, 382 lawsuits, 233 cases of obstruction, 23 closings of editorial offices, 10 evictions, 28 confiscations of printed production, 23 cases of stopping broadcasting, 38 refusals to distribute or print production, 25 acts of intimidation, and 344 other violations of Russian journalist's rights.
On October 7, 2006, Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya
, well known for her criticisms of Russia's actions in Chechnya
and the pro-Russia Chechen government, was shot in the lobby of her apartment building. The death of this Russian journalist triggered an outcry of criticism of Russia in the Western media, with accusations that, at best, Putin has failed to protect the country's new independent media.
International Press Institute
reports selective use of regulations, politically motivated criminal investigations, journalist imprisonments, outlet shutdowns and aggressive harassments by security services. According to the organization, Russia remains the most dangerous European country for journalists, with four killed in 2009.
The Amnesty International
reported in 2009, that "Human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers who spoke openly about human rights abuses faced threats and intimidation. The police appeared to be reluctant to investigate such threats and a climate of impunity for attacks on civil society activists prevailed." The Amnesty International reported also a "climate of growing intolerance towards independent views". According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
, Russia is a more dangerous place now than it was during the Cold War
. Only Iraq
and Algeria
outrank it on the list of most life-threatening countries for the press.
The Human Rights Committee
of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
is concerned about the contemporary situation in Russia.
, have acquired several of the most influential newspapers; however the national press market still offers its consumers a more diverse range of views than those same consumers can sample on the country's leading television channels.
Major Russian newspapers with foreign owners include the Vedomosti
and SmartMoney
owned by Rupert Murdoch
'es the News Corp. Notably, a number of American editions (such as Newsweek
, GQ) have Russian versions.
Following his 2004 visit to Russia Gil-Robles
reported, "At the meeting organised with the editors-in-chief of the major Russian newspapers, I noted the broadly shared opinion that freedom of speech has remained substantial since 1991. It is true that there have been several recent reports of pressure on journalists."
The highest ranked difficulty mentioned was the financial situation of the press. Most of the Moscow-based newspapers seek diverse sources of funding, "so that their independence will not be jeopardised and they will not have to turn to either the State or private shareholders, which are more often than not big industrial groups."
Another specific problem was mentioned in relation to the press distribution outside the capital. While subscriptions to press was reliable in the capitals, difficulties with press subscriptions arose "in relation to other towns and cities, especially those in Siberia and the Far East".
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
, "All three major television networks are now in the hands of Kremlin loyalists." http://www.cpj.org/op_ed/Simon22oct06.html Indeed, while "Сhannel Russia
" was state-owned since its foundation in 1991, major shareholders of ORT
and NTV
(Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky
, respectively) sold their stocks to the government and Gazprom
in 2000-2001. Moreover, TV6, a media outlet owned by Berezovsky, was closed in 2002 using a laws hole. In 2003 TVS
channel which was formed mainly of former NTV
and TV6 was closed due to financial problems.
Along with that, plenty of media outlets actively develop now while state participation in them is minimal. There are private Russian TV networks with the broadcast cover reaching the majority of the Russia's population: REN TV (known for the daily analytical talk show with Tigran Keosayan
, analytical news program "Week" with Marianna Maksimovskaya), TV Center
("Postscriptum" with Aleksey Pushkov, "Moment of Truth" with Andrey Karaulov), Petersburg - Channel 5
.
Liberal opposition TV-Channel RTVi
owned by Vladimir Gusinsky
is not broadcast in Russia, but available in that country through networks of cable
and satellite television
, MMDS and IPTV
networks. A former editor of a program on that channel, Vladimir Kara-Murza
, believes it is the merit of the RTVi that the possibility of a third presidential term of Vladimir Putin
was prevented, and that the "backdoor political technologists" were made to "abide to the Constitution, albeit with the Successor operation".
in 2008 New York Times article, all Putin's opponents are being made to vanish from Russian TV. They are blacklisted and not allowed to appear in TV shows. In one example, a presentation critical of Putin's policies has been digitally erased.
As reported by Russian scientist Sergey L. Lopatnikov, information about "black lists" is nonsense; an argument was made that not less than 35-40% of participants of NTV
-aired talk show "At a barrier" hosted by Vladimir Solovyov
during the last two years represented the liberal opposition (including Novodvorskaya, Ivanenko, Nemtsov
, Hakamada
); from January to May 2008, overt adversaries of Vladimir Putin participated in 9 of 16 (more than 50%) issues of the talk show http://www.molgvardia.ru/marginal/2008/06/04/212.
newspaper reported that the owner of private television channels REN TV and Channel 5
had made changes to the managing structures of the channels. Referring to an anonymous source, Kommersant stated that as the result these channels would cease to broadcast independent news; instead, since 2010 they would receive the news from the state-powered TV-channel Russia Today
. As Kommersant wrote, "the Channel 5 and REN-TV are the only Russian TV channels today the editorial policy of which is different from the state news. Only there opposition politicians are aired, as well as other events are reported that cause discontent of the authorities." However, the head of a REN-TV analytical news program "Week" Marianna Maksimovskaya was quoted by Kommersant as saying she held optimistic about the new executive director of REN-TV and sure that its editorial policy won't be altered.
On October 19, press secretary of REN-TV channel Nazarov asserted that REN-TV and Channel 5 will receive from the Russia Today
"exclusively technological support", and the state channel will impose no influence on the informational part of the news.
On October 22, Alexander Orjonikize, a former head of REN-TV, and now CEO of National Media Group that owns TV channels in question, said that while the possibility of partnership in order to produce more saturated and interesting news is discussed, "it's important to note that whatever business strategy would be chosen in that direction, editorial policy regarding news and its informational contents will not be altered."
The Channel 5 employs 1700 people in St. Petersburg, its sales in 2009 accounted for 20 millions USD, while the expenditures exceeded 100 millions. On October 19, employees of the TV channel published an open letter to the top Russian politicians, concerned over a possibility of mass dismissals. On October 23, CEO of NMG-TV Vladimir Khanumyan in an interview promised no mass dismissals will take place; he also commented that "Information about Russia Today is generally some misunderstanding. I don't even understand how could it be used in our project. It's the TV channel which makes programs for the abroad audience in English and Arab languages. How does that relate to the Channel 5?"
In May 2008, some 32.7 million users in Russia had continuous access to the internet, which accounted for internet penetration of almost 30%.
In November 2009 Address to the Federal Assembly, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev
acknowledged that today Russia is ranked only as the world's 63rd country guessing on the level of communications infrastructure development. He stressed the necessity to provide broadband Internet access on the whole Russia's territory in five years, and to manage the transition to the digital TV, as well as the fourth generation
of cellular wireless standard.
, an amendment signed into law by Putin in early 2000s. SORM allowed law enforcement agents to monitor Internet traffic and required ISPs
to assist law enforcement in their investigations. In late 2000, Russian Supreme Court ruled that the law enforcement agents are required to obtain a warrant and inform ISPs when the SORM is going to be used. Similar laws exist in most developed countries with large internet populations.
As reported by Agence France-Presse
, "The Internet is the freest area of the media in Russia, where almost all television and many newspapers are under formal or unofficial government control".
As reported by Kirill Pankratov in April 2009 in The Moscow Times
,
A number of Russian internet resources provide Russian translations of the world press on a regular basis: InoSmi, InoForum
, SMI2, Perevodika.
Following his visit to Russia in 2004, Gil-Robles
reported the high degree of press development in the regions.
Speaking about the obstacles that make the diversity of the press in regions being tested somewhat, Gil-Robles noted "deliberate attempts to restrict the media's freedom of expression", and the financial issues that reflect "a difficult or in some cases disastrous economic situation".
According to Gil-Robles: "Finally, the only media to remain relatively independent in the regions are the big Moscow-based dailies, most of which carry a regional insert. As they are funded by their publishing group, they maintain a greater objectivity as regards regional authorities."
In a three-year court case beginning in 2008, Chernovik
, Dagestan
's largest independent newspaper, saw its editor-in-chief Nadira Isayeva
and several reporters prosecuted on charges of "inciting hatred toward law enforcement officials" following criticism of the Federal Security Service's counterinsurgency tactics. Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists
, and ARTICLE 19
all protested the charges, and Isayeva was ultimately acquitted. She described the case as "a test for the institution of press freedom" in Dagetan.
, "People invent censorship for themselves, and what happens on some TV channels, some newspapers, happens not because Putin dials them and says: No, this mustn't go. But because their bosses are fools." However, political scientist Yevgenia Albats
in interview with Eduard Steiner has disputed this assertion: "Today the directors of the television channels and the newspapers are invited every Thursday into the Kremlin office of the deputy head of administration, Vladislav Surkov
to learn what news should be presented, and where. Journalists are bought with enormous salaries. In discussions they tell us then how horrible it is to work in the state television service." http://www.kontakt.erstebankgroup.net/report/stories/Issue02_07_Was+soll+ich+fuerchten_dt+en/en.
According to 2005 research conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM
), the number of Russians who approve of censorship
on TV has grown in a year from 63% to 82%; sociologists believe that Russians are not voting in favour of press freedom suppression, but rather for expulsion of ethically doubtful material (such as scenes of violence and sex: 57% for restricting of violence/ sex depiction on TV, 30% for ban of fraudulent businesses ads; and 24% for products for sex ads and 'criminal way of life propaganda' films).
Alexei Bayer, writing for the liberal opposition-minded Moscow Times newspaper, said, that aside from the main television channels, journalists in Russia can generally write whatever they wish and criticize and ridicule even topmost officials.
The World Report 2009 by Human Rights Watch
claimed that the Russian government controlled over civil society through selective implementation of the law, media restrictions and harassment of activists and human rights defenders.
The Commissioner for Human Rights
of the Council of Europe
in 2005 interview to Russian radio Ekho Moskvy said there was pressure on media from authorities in Russia's regions, and situation with the central media caused concerns, as many central TV media looked to lose former independence; his conclusion was that the most important task in Russia was to protect the victories of the 1991 Law on mass media, and to let journalists work fully independently; yet he said that with all the difficulties the Russian media were free as a whole, and the fact he was interviewed in a direct broadcast without censorship spoke also about press freedom.
The Freedom House
has reported multiple issues considering the freedom of the press in Russia. According to 2009 report, Russia's status is "not free". The organisation reports declining of the media freedom in 2008 and "Soviet-style" media management. According to the report the Russian constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press, but in reality, the politized and corrupt court system is used against independent journalists.
Activities of Freedom House in regards of assessments of the situation in Russia are widely criticized in that country as russophobic. In 2007, head of the President's Council for aiding development of institutions of civilian society and human rights Ella Pamfilova
said that the results of Freedom House investigation in regards of Russia look "ridiculous, awkward and far-fetched" :
According to MSIIR professor Aleksey Pushkov:
American Russia-based journalist Mark Ames
noted in 2005 :
Gennady Zyuganov
spoke in 2007 in support of the press freedom :
The country's socialist party, Fair Russia
has the program that involves the following points :
The country's nationalist party LDPR makes the following statements in its program:
The country's liberal democratic party Right Cause
makes the following points in its program:
The United Civil Front
, headed by Garry Kasparov
, who is often referred to as the "opposition leader" in the West, makes the following claims in its manifesto:
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
outlets to carry out independent policies and the ability of journalists to access sources of information and to work without outside pressure. Media of Russia
Media of Russia
Media of Russia is diverse, with a wide range of broadcast and print outlets are available to the consumer. In total, there are 93,000 media outlets in Russia, including 27,000 newspapers and magazines and 330 television channels. Television is the most popular source of information. There are...
include television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
channels, periodicals, and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
media, which according to the laws of the Russian Federation may be either state or private property.
Various aspects of the contemporary press freedom situation are criticized by multiple international organisations. According to International Press Institute, the Russian law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
s, bureaucratic regulation
Regulation
Regulation is administrative legislation that constitutes or constrains rights and allocates responsibilities. It can be distinguished from primary legislation on the one hand and judge-made law on the other...
s and politically motivated criminal investigations have forced the press into self-censorship
Self-censorship
Self-censorship is the act of censoring or classifying one's own work , out of fear of, or deference to, the sensibilities of others, without overt pressure from any specific party or institution of authority...
. According to International Press Institute, Russia is the most dangerous European country for journalists. According to Human Rights Watch, the Russian government control over civil society through selective implementation of the law, restriction and censure.
In 2009 Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
ranked Russia 153rd out of 175 in the Press Freedom Index
Press Freedom Index
The Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of countries compiled and published by Reporters Without Borders based upon the organization's assessment of their press freedom records. Small countries, such as Andorra, are excluded from this report...
.
According to the Commissioner for Human Rights of Russia Vladimir Lukin
Vladimir Lukin
Vladimir Petrovich Lukin is Russian liberal political activist currently serving as the Human Rights Commissioner of Russia...
, the constitutional norm of freedom of speech is basically observed, additionally there is no institutionalised censorship.
Legal position
Freedom of the press is provided by the Constitution of RussiaConstitution of Russia
The current Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted by national referendum on 12 December 1993. Russia's constitution came into force on 25 December 1993, at the moment of its official publication...
. The Constitutional speech freedom norm guarantees the freedom of ideas and speech for everyone, as well as the right "to freely look for, receive, transmit, produce and distribute information by any legal way". With that, the propaganda instigating social, racial, national or religious hatred or supremacy is banned. The Constitutional norm provides for the freedom of mass communication, while Censorship is banned.
The important law in context of the media freedom is the 1991 Law "On mass media", that guarantees freedom of expression for media, journalists' rights and citizens' right for information. According to Gil-Robles, the Law has a strong democratic character; once put into practice it fostered the media freedom development and prompted an increase in the number of publications, as well as television and radio channels. The Law is the key text and guarantor for Russian media.
However, the 2006 Federal Law on Combating the Terrorism and the 2006 Law on Counteracting the Extremist Activity, along with the Federal List of Extremist Materials
Federal List of Extremist Materials
Federal List of Extremist Materials is a list of works that are banned in Russia. It is compiled by the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation since July 14, 2007 and contains 918 items as of July 20, 2010...
, became a matter of concern of both domestic and international observers.
The Human Rights Committee
Human Rights Committee
The United Nations Human Rights Committee is a United Nations body of 18 experts that meets three times a year for four-week sessions to consider the five-yearly reports submitted by 162 UN member states on their compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,...
of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
criticized the lack of precision in the definitions of terrorism and terrorist activity, the counter-terrorist regime being not subject to any requirement of justification, as well as the lack of legal provision for the authorities' obligation to protect human rights in the context of a counter-terrorist operation.
The Human Rights Committee
Human Rights Committee
The United Nations Human Rights Committee is a United Nations body of 18 experts that meets three times a year for four-week sessions to consider the five-yearly reports submitted by 162 UN member states on their compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,...
of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
welcomed the adoption in 2009 of the Law "On the securing of access to information on the activities of the courts of the Russian Federation".
Federal Law "On Guarantees of Equality of Parliamentary Parties in Covering their Activities by the National State-Owned TV and Radio Channels" adopted in May 2009 guarantees that each Parliamentary Party must enjoy equal share of coverage at state-owned national TV and radio channels. Independency of editorial policies towards viewing Parliamentary parties, as well as citizens right to be comprehensively and unbiasedly informed of parties activities are stipulated by the Law. Control over the proper fulfilment of this Law is performed by the Central Election Committee of Russia with participants of Parliamentary parties, since September 2009.
A new law to be implemented at the beginning of 2009 will allow reporters investigating corruption in Russia to be protected. Under new legislation, they will be able to apply for special protection, like court witnesses. The new law is part of a grander national plan to fight corruption in Russia, an area that President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
has focused much of his attention on.
Commissioner for Human Rights of Russia
Russia's ombudsmanOmbudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
, named officially the Commissioner for Human Rights, is appointed for a certain term by the Parliament
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
. The ombudsman cannot be dismissed before the end of his term, and is not subordinate to any body of power, including the President or the Government
Government of Russia
The Government of the Russian Federation exercises executive power in the Russian Federation. The members of the government are the prime minister , the deputy prime ministers, and the federal ministers...
. Russia’s 83 administrative regions has the right to elect a local ombudsman whose authority is limited to that region. Less than half have done so.
Russian Ombudsman Vladimir Lukin
Vladimir Lukin
Vladimir Petrovich Lukin is Russian liberal political activist currently serving as the Human Rights Commissioner of Russia...
reported in 2006, that suggesting that freedom of speech is non-existent in Russia would be an exaggeration, the constitutional right for speech freedom is basically observed, as well as there's no institutionalised censorship. Apparently for these very reasons journalists and publishers seldom appeal to the Commissioner protesting restrictions of their right of seeking, receiving, transferring, publishing or distributing information. Yet disguised restrictions exist to a considerable degree, they are often put through the economic pressure on mass media by the authorities and loyal business. The so-called "self-censorship" which induces journalists to refrain from disseminating information which, in their opinion, may not please the authorities, is also widespread. So in many places the right to praise the authorities is ensured, while the opposite right is just formally declared.
In 2008 annual report Vladimir Lukin wrote, that it's important to have the comprehensive legal interpretation of the terms that may limit the freedom of thought and word. He spoke against the election legislation amendment that is "a practical prohibition" of contesting candidates criticism, calling it obviously excessive. And Lukin was critical about the Law on combating extremist activities, noting that extremism and dissent must be strictly legally divided.
1990s and before
The process of democratization of the totalitarian Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
started with the policy of Glasnost
Glasnost
Glasnost was the policy of maximal publicity, openness, and transparency in the activities of all government institutions in the Soviet Union, together with freedom of information, introduced by Mikhail Gorbachev in the second half of the 1980s...
, meaning openness or freedom of speech. As stated by Gil-Robles, that policy is still regarded within the Russian society as one of the most precious achievements of Perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
.
According to Gil-Robles, the contemporary state of media freedom follows on from the proactive policy pursued by the Russian authorities at the beginning of the 1990s. During the 1990s the Russian society went through a period of rapid development of the traditional media.
2000s
Mass media in Russia continued to develop in 2000s, as the number of periodicals, broadcasting companies and electronic media has more than doubled from 1997 to 2006.As stated by the BBC, two of the three main federal channels Channel One
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
and Russia TV are controlled by the government controls while state-controlled energy giant Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
owns NTV.
In February 2011 Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
journalist Luke Harding
Luke Harding
Luke Daniel Harding is a British political journalist working for The Guardian newspaper, formerly based in Russia.-Early life, education and career:...
, from Britain, was refused entry into Russia, contrary to OCSE regulations. He thus became the first foreign journalist to be expelled from Russia since the end of the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Some linked his expulsion with unflattering coverage of Russia, including speculation about Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
's wealth. On 9 February Russia reversed the decision.
Critical points
BBB has stated in recent years, that companies with close links to the Government, state-owned GazpromGazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
among them, have bought several of the most influential papers. According to Freedom House, the Russian government owns 60 percent of newspapers, and in whole or in part, all national television stations. A news report in Kommersant
Kommersant
Kommersant is a commerce-oriented newspaper published in Russia. , the circulation was 131,000.- History :The newspaper was initially published in 1909, and it was closed down following the Bolshevik seizure of power and the introduction of censorship in 1917.In 1989, with the onset of press...
suggested that the last two remaining semi-independent television channels REN TV and Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5 is a television channel based in St. Petersburg, Russia, also known simply as Channel 5. Director General: Alexey Brodskiy, Producer General: Ljubov Sovershaeva...
may become under state control in 2010.
Positive points
Further news reports affirmed that the television channels REN TV and Channel 5Petersburg - Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5 is a television channel based in St. Petersburg, Russia, also known simply as Channel 5. Director General: Alexey Brodskiy, Producer General: Ljubov Sovershaeva...
will retain their independent editorial policy and won't be under state control.
In 2007, a report by professor of politics Nicolai N. Petro asserted that foreign companies owned shares in over half of all Russian broadcasting companies and not the state. According to him, the Russian state's share in the newspaper and journal market is estimated to be less than 10%, while its share in electronic media is even smaller.
Russian head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said in a 2005 interview that there were no differences between freedom of speech in Russia and Western countries in regards to the printed media: "there is an enormous amount of newspapers which write any sort of stuff." Speaking of electronic media, he acknowledged that they were mainly under the control of the authorities, but added that that's not a specifically Russian phenomenon.
According to the BBC, the Russian newspaper market offers its consumers a more diverse range of views than those same consumers can sample on the country's leading television channels.
According to Vedomosti
Vedomosti
Vedomosti is a Russian language business daily. It is a joint venture between Dow Jones, the Financial Times and Sanoma, publishers of The Moscow Times....
newspaper, in 2009 Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
's corporation failed to sell its three popular Russian radio stations because it didn't manage to find buyers for them.
Pressure on independent media
According to the World Press Freedom Review 2008 by International Press InstituteInternational Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
, the pressure on Russian independent media outlets and their employees increased considerably in 2007. The government use variety of methods to control of broadcasters, to sideline critical journalists, and to intimidate them into self-censorship.
According to International Press Institute, even bolder publications have to curtail their coverage to avoid problems with the authorities.
Selective use of regulations and criminal investigations
As stated by IPI, the Russian Government use selectively politicized regulations and bureaucratic harassment to inhibit media outlets.In 2008 Amnesty International criticized the run-up to parliamentary and presidential elections as "a clampdown on the freedoms of assembly and expression", stating that "the authorities have violently dispersed some opposition demonstrations, while pro-government events have gone ahead without interference."
Official stance towards the issues of state dominance
In 2006 President of Russia Vladimir PutinVladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
commented that in the period of 1990s freedom of press in Russia "was indeed under threat, not from the former state ideology that once held a monopoly on expression, but from the dictates of oligarchic capital". http://www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2006/06/05/1842_type82912type84779_106514.shtml When asked about media freedom in 2006 interview with NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
TV channel, Putin replied: "We have more than 3,500 television and radio companies here in Russia and state participation in them is decreasing with every passing year. As for print media, there are more than 40,000 publications and we could not control them all even if we wanted to."
In May 2008 the International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is a global union federation of journalists' trade unions—the largest in the world. The organization aims to protect and strengthen the rights and freedoms of journalists...
welcomed signs of a "fresh start" in relations between the authorities and independent media in Russia.
In November 2008 Address President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
acknowledged problems with the Russian media:
The policies adopted in that address answered that criticism the following way:
In May 2009, a Federal Law "On Guarantees of Equality of Parliamentary Parties in Covering their Activities by the National State-Owned TV and Radio Channels" was adopted.
In November 2009 Address Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
recommended all regions of the Russian Federation to pass laws on guarantees of equal media coverage of activity of parties represented in regional parliaments.
Assaults on journalists
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
, contentious stories on organized crime, state and administrative officials, and large businesses have been killed. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
, since 1992, 50 journalists have been murdered for their professional activity in Russia (which made it the third deadliest country for journalist in the 1992–2006 period): 30 journalists from 1993 to 2000, and 20 journalists since 2000.
According to Glasnost Defence Foundation, there were 9 cases of suspicious deaths of journalists in 2006, as well as 59 assaults on journalists, and 12 attacks on editorial offices. In 2005, the list of all cases included 7 deaths, 63 assaults, 12 attacks on editorial offices, 23 incidents of censorship, 42 criminal prosecutions, 11 illegal layoffs, 47 cases of detention by militsiya
Militsiya
Militsiya or militia is used as an official name of the civilian police in several former communist states, despite its original military connotation...
, 382 lawsuits, 233 cases of obstruction, 23 closings of editorial offices, 10 evictions, 28 confiscations of printed production, 23 cases of stopping broadcasting, 38 refusals to distribute or print production, 25 acts of intimidation, and 344 other violations of Russian journalist's rights.
On October 7, 2006, Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya
Anna Politkovskaya
Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist, author, and human rights activist known for her opposition to the Chechen conflict and then-President of Russia Vladimir Putin...
, well known for her criticisms of Russia's actions in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
and the pro-Russia Chechen government, was shot in the lobby of her apartment building. The death of this Russian journalist triggered an outcry of criticism of Russia in the Western media, with accusations that, at best, Putin has failed to protect the country's new independent media.
International Press Institute
International Press Institute
International Press Institute is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. Founded in October 1950, the IPI has members in over 120 countries....
reports selective use of regulations, politically motivated criminal investigations, journalist imprisonments, outlet shutdowns and aggressive harassments by security services. According to the organization, Russia remains the most dangerous European country for journalists, with four killed in 2009.
The Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
reported in 2009, that "Human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers who spoke openly about human rights abuses faced threats and intimidation. The police appeared to be reluctant to investigate such threats and a climate of impunity for attacks on civil society activists prevailed." The Amnesty International reported also a "climate of growing intolerance towards independent views". According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
, Russia is a more dangerous place now than it was during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Only Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
outrank it on the list of most life-threatening countries for the press.
The Human Rights Committee
Human Rights Committee
The United Nations Human Rights Committee is a United Nations body of 18 experts that meets three times a year for four-week sessions to consider the five-yearly reports submitted by 162 UN member states on their compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,...
of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...
is concerned about the contemporary situation in Russia.
The Press
According to the BBC, Russia has a very wide range of newspapers, over 400 daily, for every field. In recent years companies close to the Russian government, such as GazpromGazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
, have acquired several of the most influential newspapers; however the national press market still offers its consumers a more diverse range of views than those same consumers can sample on the country's leading television channels.
Major Russian newspapers with foreign owners include the Vedomosti
Vedomosti
Vedomosti is a Russian language business daily. It is a joint venture between Dow Jones, the Financial Times and Sanoma, publishers of The Moscow Times....
and SmartMoney
SmartMoney
SmartMoney The Wall Street Journal Magazine of Personal Business was launched in 1992 by Hearst Corporation and Dow Jones & Company. In 2010, Hearst sold its stake to Dow Jones. Its first editor was Norman Pearlstine....
owned by Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
'es the News Corp. Notably, a number of American editions (such as Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, GQ) have Russian versions.
Following his 2004 visit to Russia Gil-Robles
Álvaro Gil-Robles
Álvaro Gil-Robles is a Spanish jurist and human rights activist.He was Commissioner for Human Rights of Council of Europe from 15 October 1999 to 31 March 2006...
reported, "At the meeting organised with the editors-in-chief of the major Russian newspapers, I noted the broadly shared opinion that freedom of speech has remained substantial since 1991. It is true that there have been several recent reports of pressure on journalists."
The highest ranked difficulty mentioned was the financial situation of the press. Most of the Moscow-based newspapers seek diverse sources of funding, "so that their independence will not be jeopardised and they will not have to turn to either the State or private shareholders, which are more often than not big industrial groups."
Another specific problem was mentioned in relation to the press distribution outside the capital. While subscriptions to press was reliable in the capitals, difficulties with press subscriptions arose "in relation to other towns and cities, especially those in Siberia and the Far East".
Television and radio
Many observers note the loss of independence of national television stations.According to the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
, "All three major television networks are now in the hands of Kremlin loyalists." http://www.cpj.org/op_ed/Simon22oct06.html Indeed, while "Сhannel Russia
Russia TV Channel
Rossiya 1 is a state-owned Russian television channel founded in 1991. It belongs to the All-Russia State Television and Radio Company ....
" was state-owned since its foundation in 1991, major shareholders of ORT
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
and NTV
NTV Russia
NTV is a Russian television channel. As a subsidiary of Vladimir Gusinsky's company Media-Most, it was a pioneer in the post-Soviet independent television media, but was later taken over by state-owned Gazprom.- History :...
(Boris Berezovsky and Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Gusinsky is a Russian media baron, is known as the founder of Media-Most holding that included Most Bank, the NTV channel, the newspaper Segodnya and magazines.-Life and career:Gusinsky was born in Moscow....
, respectively) sold their stocks to the government and Gazprom
Gazprom
Open Joint Stock Company Gazprom is the largest extractor of natural gas in the world and the largest Russian company. Its headquarters are in Cheryomushki District, South-Western Administrative Okrug, Moscow...
in 2000-2001. Moreover, TV6, a media outlet owned by Berezovsky, was closed in 2002 using a laws hole. In 2003 TVS
TVS (Russia)
TVS was a private Russian television network which was shut down by the Press Ministry of Russia on June 22, 2003.-Creation:On January 11, 2002, a separate Russian television channel, TV-6 lost a court battle over bankruptcy and was placed into liquidation by a unanimous decision of thirteen...
channel which was formed mainly of former NTV
NTV Russia
NTV is a Russian television channel. As a subsidiary of Vladimir Gusinsky's company Media-Most, it was a pioneer in the post-Soviet independent television media, but was later taken over by state-owned Gazprom.- History :...
and TV6 was closed due to financial problems.
Along with that, plenty of media outlets actively develop now while state participation in them is minimal. There are private Russian TV networks with the broadcast cover reaching the majority of the Russia's population: REN TV (known for the daily analytical talk show with Tigran Keosayan
Tigran Keosayan
Tigran Edmundovich Keosayan is a Russian-Armenian film director, actor and writer. He is a winner of International Film Festival Prize's including "TEFI", "Kinotavr" and "Window to Europe-2001"....
, analytical news program "Week" with Marianna Maksimovskaya), TV Center
TV Center
TV Center is a state-run Russia TV station with the fourth largest coverage area in Russia, after Channel One, Rossiya and NTV. It is owned by the administration of the city of Moscow and is dedicated to programming that highlights various aspects of Moscow life.The channel is broadcast in the...
("Postscriptum" with Aleksey Pushkov, "Moment of Truth" with Andrey Karaulov), Petersburg - Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5 is a television channel based in St. Petersburg, Russia, also known simply as Channel 5. Director General: Alexey Brodskiy, Producer General: Ljubov Sovershaeva...
.
Liberal opposition TV-Channel RTVi
RTVi
RTVi is an international Russian-language private television network, with studios based in Moscow, New York and Tel-Aviv, as well as bureaus in Washington DC, Berlin and Kiev, which broadcasts by satellite and cable in Europe, North America, Israel and CIS countries...
owned by Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Gusinsky
Vladimir Aleksandrovich Gusinsky is a Russian media baron, is known as the founder of Media-Most holding that included Most Bank, the NTV channel, the newspaper Segodnya and magazines.-Life and career:Gusinsky was born in Moscow....
is not broadcast in Russia, but available in that country through networks of cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
, MMDS and IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
networks. A former editor of a program on that channel, Vladimir Kara-Murza
Vladimir V. Kara-Murza
Vladimir V. Kara-Murza is a Russian journalist, historian and politician. He studied in Great Britain at the John Lyon School in Harrow, London, and graduated with an B.A. and M.A. in History from Cambridge University...
, believes it is the merit of the RTVi that the possibility of a third presidential term of Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin served as the second President of the Russian Federation and is the current Prime Minister of Russia, as well as chairman of United Russia and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Union of Russia and Belarus. He became acting President on 31 December 1999, when...
was prevented, and that the "backdoor political technologists" were made to "abide to the Constitution, albeit with the Successor operation".
"Black lists" controversy
As reported by Clifford J. LevyClifford J. Levy
Clifford J. Levy is an investigative journalist for The New York Times.Levy is a graduate of New Rochelle High School and Princeton University in 1989....
in 2008 New York Times article, all Putin's opponents are being made to vanish from Russian TV. They are blacklisted and not allowed to appear in TV shows. In one example, a presentation critical of Putin's policies has been digitally erased.
As reported by Russian scientist Sergey L. Lopatnikov, information about "black lists" is nonsense; an argument was made that not less than 35-40% of participants of NTV
NTV Russia
NTV is a Russian television channel. As a subsidiary of Vladimir Gusinsky's company Media-Most, it was a pioneer in the post-Soviet independent television media, but was later taken over by state-owned Gazprom.- History :...
-aired talk show "At a barrier" hosted by Vladimir Solovyov
Vladimir Solovyov (journalist)
Vladimir Rudol'fovich Solovyov is a popular Russian TV and radio journalist. He graduated from the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys and completed post-doc position at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations...
during the last two years represented the liberal opposition (including Novodvorskaya, Ivanenko, Nemtsov
Boris Nemtsov
Boris Efimovich Nemtsov is a Russian politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Russia from 1997 to 1998. He was a co-founder of the Russian political party Union of Right Forces and is an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin.-Early life:...
, Hakamada
Irina Hakamada
Irina Mutsuovna Khakamada is a Russian politician who ran in the Russian presidential election, 2004. She is a member of The Other Russia coalition.-Biography:...
); from January to May 2008, overt adversaries of Vladimir Putin participated in 9 of 16 (more than 50%) issues of the talk show http://www.molgvardia.ru/marginal/2008/06/04/212.
Alleged REN-TV and Channel 5 news ban controversy
On October 16, 2009, KommersantKommersant
Kommersant is a commerce-oriented newspaper published in Russia. , the circulation was 131,000.- History :The newspaper was initially published in 1909, and it was closed down following the Bolshevik seizure of power and the introduction of censorship in 1917.In 1989, with the onset of press...
newspaper reported that the owner of private television channels REN TV and Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5
Petersburg - Channel 5 is a television channel based in St. Petersburg, Russia, also known simply as Channel 5. Director General: Alexey Brodskiy, Producer General: Ljubov Sovershaeva...
had made changes to the managing structures of the channels. Referring to an anonymous source, Kommersant stated that as the result these channels would cease to broadcast independent news; instead, since 2010 they would receive the news from the state-powered TV-channel Russia Today
Russia Today
Russia Today may refer to:* Russia Today, an English language 24-hour television news channel from Russia. It was launched in 2005 and is not related to an online news service of the similar name operated by EIN News...
. As Kommersant wrote, "the Channel 5 and REN-TV are the only Russian TV channels today the editorial policy of which is different from the state news. Only there opposition politicians are aired, as well as other events are reported that cause discontent of the authorities." However, the head of a REN-TV analytical news program "Week" Marianna Maksimovskaya was quoted by Kommersant as saying she held optimistic about the new executive director of REN-TV and sure that its editorial policy won't be altered.
On October 19, press secretary of REN-TV channel Nazarov asserted that REN-TV and Channel 5 will receive from the Russia Today
Russia Today
Russia Today may refer to:* Russia Today, an English language 24-hour television news channel from Russia. It was launched in 2005 and is not related to an online news service of the similar name operated by EIN News...
"exclusively technological support", and the state channel will impose no influence on the informational part of the news.
On October 22, Alexander Orjonikize, a former head of REN-TV, and now CEO of National Media Group that owns TV channels in question, said that while the possibility of partnership in order to produce more saturated and interesting news is discussed, "it's important to note that whatever business strategy would be chosen in that direction, editorial policy regarding news and its informational contents will not be altered."
The Channel 5 employs 1700 people in St. Petersburg, its sales in 2009 accounted for 20 millions USD, while the expenditures exceeded 100 millions. On October 19, employees of the TV channel published an open letter to the top Russian politicians, concerned over a possibility of mass dismissals. On October 23, CEO of NMG-TV Vladimir Khanumyan in an interview promised no mass dismissals will take place; he also commented that "Information about Russia Today is generally some misunderstanding. I don't even understand how could it be used in our project. It's the TV channel which makes programs for the abroad audience in English and Arab languages. How does that relate to the Channel 5?"
Infrastructure
In 2004 only a minority of Russians (8% of the population) had Internet access.In May 2008, some 32.7 million users in Russia had continuous access to the internet, which accounted for internet penetration of almost 30%.
In November 2009 Address to the Federal Assembly, President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
acknowledged that today Russia is ranked only as the world's 63rd country guessing on the level of communications infrastructure development. He stressed the necessity to provide broadband Internet access on the whole Russia's territory in five years, and to manage the transition to the digital TV, as well as the fourth generation
4G
In telecommunications, 4G is the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards. It is a successor to the 3G and 2G families of standards. In 2009, the ITU-R organization specified the IMT-Advanced requirements for 4G standards, setting peak speed requirements for 4G service at 100 Mbit/s...
of cellular wireless standard.
SORM
A System of Ensuring Investigative Activity, SORMSORM
SORM is a technical system for search and surveillance in the internet...
, an amendment signed into law by Putin in early 2000s. SORM allowed law enforcement agents to monitor Internet traffic and required ISPs
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
to assist law enforcement in their investigations. In late 2000, Russian Supreme Court ruled that the law enforcement agents are required to obtain a warrant and inform ISPs when the SORM is going to be used. Similar laws exist in most developed countries with large internet populations.
Media
Following his visit to Russia in 2004, Gil-Robles noted high quality of news and reaction speed of Russia's Internet media. Virtually all the main newspapers were available on-line, some even opting for Web as a sole information outlet. Russia's press agencies (including the most important Ria-Novosti and Itar-Tass) were also well represented in the Web.As reported by Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
, "The Internet is the freest area of the media in Russia, where almost all television and many newspapers are under formal or unofficial government control".
As reported by Kirill Pankratov in April 2009 in The Moscow Times
The Moscow Times
The Moscow Times is an English-language daily newspaper published in Moscow, Russia since 1992. The circulation in 2008 stood at 35,000 copies and the newspaper is typically given out for free at places English-language "expats" attend, including hotels, cafés and restaurants, as well as by...
,
A number of Russian internet resources provide Russian translations of the world press on a regular basis: InoSmi, InoForum
InoForum
InoForum — independent internet resource, which searches for, translates and publishes in Russian articles from foreign editions, first of all the ones that are political, related to Russia or the attitude towards Russia in various countries, as well as readers comments and forums...
, SMI2, Perevodika.
Controversies
- Magomed YevloyevMagomed YevloyevMagomed Yakhyаvich Yevloyev was an Ingush journalist, lawyer, and businessman, and the owner of the news website Ingushetiya.ru, known for being highly critical of Murat Zyazikov, the President of Ingushetia, a federal subject of Russia bordering Chechnya...
, editor of Ingushetia.org, a vocal critic of the regionIngushetiaThe Republic of Ingushetia is a federal subject of Russia , located in the North Caucasus region with its capital at Magas. In terms of area, the republic is the smallest of Russia's federal subjects except for the two federal cities, Moscow and Saint Petersburg...
's administration, was murdered in August, 2008.
- At the background of December 2008 demonstrations in VladivostokVladivostokThe city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
, it was reported by Kontury news website that FSB officers addressed moderators of the ru_auto Internet community with a request to remove stories about the Vladivostok protests. The major reason, as reported by a moderator of the resource, was that a number of repeating posts with the information about protests worsened some sort of statistics on people's attitudes. The moderator in question requested bloggers to publish only unique posts about protest actions.
- In December 2009, internet provider YotaYotaYota is the trademark of a Russian multinational telecommunications services provider . Yota currently operates in Russia, Belarus and Nicaragua and will launch in Peru very soon...
with over 100,000 subscribers has blocked access to some Russian opposition internet resources for its Moscow-based subscribers for few days. The block occurred after the chief prosecutor of St. Petersburg recommended the company to block access to extremist resources. In the same time, the only internet resource listed as extremist by the Ministry of Justice of Russia is the site of Caucasian separatists KavkazCenter.ru. Since the evening of December 6, YotaYotaYota is the trademark of a Russian multinational telecommunications services provider . Yota currently operates in Russia, Belarus and Nicaragua and will launch in Peru very soon...
opened access to all previously blocked resources, but the KavkazCenter.ru.
Regional media
According to report by Reporters Without Borders in 2009, "the current situation of the media in the Russian regions provides grounds for hope as well as for concern". The regional print media has been able to maintain a solid position as an information resource. However, most publishers shy away from politically charged topics in order not to endanger their business. The situation is similar in radio where journalist has set up an Internet forum in which radio journalists can publish reports that their often strictly formatted radio stations refuse to broadcast.Following his visit to Russia in 2004, Gil-Robles
Álvaro Gil-Robles
Álvaro Gil-Robles is a Spanish jurist and human rights activist.He was Commissioner for Human Rights of Council of Europe from 15 October 1999 to 31 March 2006...
reported the high degree of press development in the regions.
Speaking about the obstacles that make the diversity of the press in regions being tested somewhat, Gil-Robles noted "deliberate attempts to restrict the media's freedom of expression", and the financial issues that reflect "a difficult or in some cases disastrous economic situation".
According to Gil-Robles: "Finally, the only media to remain relatively independent in the regions are the big Moscow-based dailies, most of which carry a regional insert. As they are funded by their publishing group, they maintain a greater objectivity as regards regional authorities."
In a three-year court case beginning in 2008, Chernovik
Chernovik
Chernovik is a weekly newspaper based in Dagestan, Russia. Reporters Without Borders has described it as "Dagestan's leading independent newspaper."...
, Dagestan
Dagestan
The Republic of Dagestan is a federal subject of Russia, located in the North Caucasus region. Its capital and the largest city is Makhachkala, located at the center of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea...
's largest independent newspaper, saw its editor-in-chief Nadira Isayeva
Nadira Isayeva
Nadira Isayeva is a Russian journalist who has been internationally recognized for her reporting on security issues in North Caucasus.Isayeva is editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Chernovik in Dagestan, described by Reporters Without Borders as "Dagestan’s leading independent newspaper"...
and several reporters prosecuted on charges of "inciting hatred toward law enforcement officials" following criticism of the Federal Security Service's counterinsurgency tactics. Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
, and ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19
ARTICLE 19 is a London-based human rights organisation with a specific mandate and focus on the defence and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide...
all protested the charges, and Isayeva was ultimately acquitted. She described the case as "a test for the institution of press freedom" in Dagetan.
Censorship
According to journalist Maxim KononenkoMaxim Kononenko
Maksim Kononenko is a Russian journalist, writer, TV show host, and political activist, computer programmer. Known on the Internet as "Mr...
, "People invent censorship for themselves, and what happens on some TV channels, some newspapers, happens not because Putin dials them and says: No, this mustn't go. But because their bosses are fools." However, political scientist Yevgenia Albats
Yevgenia Albats
Dr. Yevgenia Markovna Albats is a Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, writer and radio host. As of year 2011, she workes as a chief editor of The New Times magazine.-Early life and education:...
in interview with Eduard Steiner has disputed this assertion: "Today the directors of the television channels and the newspapers are invited every Thursday into the Kremlin office of the deputy head of administration, Vladislav Surkov
Vladislav Surkov
Vladislav Yuryevich Surkov is a Russian businessman and politician. Currently he is a First Deputy Chief of Staff of the President of the Russian Federation and a top aide to Vladimir Putin. Vladislav Surkov is widely seen as the main ideologist of the Kremlin...
to learn what news should be presented, and where. Journalists are bought with enormous salaries. In discussions they tell us then how horrible it is to work in the state television service." http://www.kontakt.erstebankgroup.net/report/stories/Issue02_07_Was+soll+ich+fuerchten_dt+en/en.
According to 2005 research conducted by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM
VCIOM
All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion, VTsIOM, [established in 1987; till 1992 – All-Union Center for the Study of Public Opinion] is the oldest polling institution in the post-Soviet space and is one of the leading sociological and market research companies in Russia.-General...
), the number of Russians who approve of censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
on TV has grown in a year from 63% to 82%; sociologists believe that Russians are not voting in favour of press freedom suppression, but rather for expulsion of ethically doubtful material (such as scenes of violence and sex: 57% for restricting of violence/ sex depiction on TV, 30% for ban of fraudulent businesses ads; and 24% for products for sex ads and 'criminal way of life propaganda' films).
Alexei Bayer, writing for the liberal opposition-minded Moscow Times newspaper, said, that aside from the main television channels, journalists in Russia can generally write whatever they wish and criticize and ridicule even topmost officials.
The World Report 2009 by Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
claimed that the Russian government controlled over civil society through selective implementation of the law, media restrictions and harassment of activists and human rights defenders.
The Commissioner for Human Rights
Commissioner for Human Rights
The Commissioner for Human Rights is an independent institution within the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, mandated to promote the awareness of and respect for human rights in member states...
of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
in 2005 interview to Russian radio Ekho Moskvy said there was pressure on media from authorities in Russia's regions, and situation with the central media caused concerns, as many central TV media looked to lose former independence; his conclusion was that the most important task in Russia was to protect the victories of the 1991 Law on mass media, and to let journalists work fully independently; yet he said that with all the difficulties the Russian media were free as a whole, and the fact he was interviewed in a direct broadcast without censorship spoke also about press freedom.
Criticism of Freedom House
Freedom House
Freedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
has reported multiple issues considering the freedom of the press in Russia. According to 2009 report, Russia's status is "not free". The organisation reports declining of the media freedom in 2008 and "Soviet-style" media management. According to the report the Russian constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press, but in reality, the politized and corrupt court system is used against independent journalists.
Activities of Freedom House in regards of assessments of the situation in Russia are widely criticized in that country as russophobic. In 2007, head of the President's Council for aiding development of institutions of civilian society and human rights Ella Pamfilova
Ella Pamfilova
Ella Pamfilova is a Russian politician, former deputy of the State Duma, candidate for President in 2000 and former chairman of the Civil Society Institution and Human Rights Council of the Russian Federation.-Biography:...
said that the results of Freedom House investigation in regards of Russia look "ridiculous, awkward and far-fetched" :
According to MSIIR professor Aleksey Pushkov:
American Russia-based journalist Mark Ames
Mark Ames
Mark Ames is a writer known for his work as a Moscow-based expatriate American journalist and editor. He is the founding editor of the satirical biweekly the eXile in Moscow, to which he regularly contributed before he returned to America...
noted in 2005 :
Stances by the Russian opposition towards the press freedom
Head of the largest opposition party, the Communist Party of the Russian FederationCommunist Party of the Russian Federation
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Russian political party. It is the second major political party in the Russian Federation.-History:...
Gennady Zyuganov
Gennady Zyuganov
Gennady Andreyevich Zyuganov is a Russian politician, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation , Chairman of the Union of Communist Parties - Communist Party of the Soviet Union , deputy of the State Duma , and a member of Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe...
spoke in 2007 in support of the press freedom :
The country's socialist party, Fair Russia
Fair Russia
A Just Russia, , also translated as Fair Russia, is a social democratic political party in Russia currently holding 38 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. It was formed on October 28, 2006, as a merger of Rodina, the Russian Party of Life and the Russian Pensioners' Party. Later, 6 further minor...
has the program that involves the following points :
The country's nationalist party LDPR makes the following statements in its program:
The country's liberal democratic party Right Cause
Right Cause
Right Cause is a political party in Russia with representatives in several local legislatures. Founded on 18 February 2009 as a merger of the Union of Right Forces, Civilian Power and the Democratic Party of Russia, the party's main policy stances are liberal free market economy, democracy and...
makes the following points in its program:
The United Civil Front
United Civil Front
United Civil Front is a social movement in Russia founded and led by chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov. It is part of The Other Russia, an opposition coalition active in Moscow...
, headed by Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov
Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
, who is often referred to as the "opposition leader" in the West, makes the following claims in its manifesto:
See also
- List of journalists killed in Russia
- Media of RussiaMedia of RussiaMedia of Russia is diverse, with a wide range of broadcast and print outlets are available to the consumer. In total, there are 93,000 media outlets in Russia, including 27,000 newspapers and magazines and 330 television channels. Television is the most popular source of information. There are...
- Telecommunications in Russia
- Human rights in RussiaHuman rights in RussiaThe rights and liberties of the citizens of the Russian Federation are granted by Chapter 2 of the Constitution adopted in 1993.Russia is the signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and has also ratified a number of other international human rights instruments, including the...
External links
- Russia Today, a pro-governmental English language TV channel
- Pravda.Ru, English version of an oppositional pro-Communist newspaper
- Novaya Gazeta, English version of an oppositional liberal-minded newspaper
- Harassment Chronicles, an English-language resource run by the oppositional Other Russia (a coalition including KasparovGarry KasparovGarry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess grandmaster, a former World Chess Champion, writer, political activist, and one of the greatest chess players of all time....
's United Civil FrontUnited Civil FrontUnited Civil Front is a social movement in Russia founded and led by chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov. It is part of The Other Russia, an opposition coalition active in Moscow...
) - Freedom House 2010 Press Survey: Russia