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Something about pressfreedom in Russia
The names of several journalists murdered since the start of 2002:
Natalya Skryl, a reporter for Nashe Vremia, was attacked near her home in Rostov-on-the Don on 8 March. She later died in hospital. After initially stating that the murder was connected to her profession, police have gathered new evidence based on eyewitness testimony. Accordingly, police now believe the motive to be robbery. However, there does not seem to be enough evidence, even with eyewitness testimony, to bring the case to court.
Sergei Kalinovsky, editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets-Smolensk and a reporter for the local SCS television station, was found dead beside a lake outside the city of Smolensk on 2 April. Kalinovsky reported on local politics and crime. Sources at Moskovsky Komsomolets believe the murder is connected to Kalinovsky’s profession. On the basis of information provided to IPI, there has been little progress in his case, and police are still considering all possible motives.
Valery Ivanov, editor of the newspaper Tolyatinskoye Obozreniye in the city of Togliatti, was shot dead outside his home on 29 April. On the basis of eyewitness reports, a man aged between 25 to 30 walked up to Ivanov’s car and shot the journalist eight times in the head. A high profile case, the Prosecutor General, Vladimir Ustinov, is now apparently involved in the investigation. According to sources, the Russian police are aggressively pursuing the case.
Alexander Plotnikov, co-owner of the regional newspaper Gostini dvor, was shot dead in Tumen, Siberia, on 20 May. It is unclear whether he was killed as a result of his profession or as a result of a commercial dispute. Irrespective of this, there appears to have been little progress made in the case.
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