RWB puts Putin and Kadyrov on the list of "press persecutors"

On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day marked today, the Reporters Without Borders (RWB) have published a new list of those whom human rights defenders regard to be "press persecutors". Along the Chairman of the Peoples Republic of China Hu Jintao and President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the list now contains Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.

Let us remind you that according to the 2009 RWB's report, Russia was rated in the world by the number of journalists assassinated during that year, dropped by 13 places by the freedom of speech index and took the 153rd place.

The Paris-based RWB notes that a number of countries still have censorship, while journalists have no safeguards against lawsuits, kidnappings, torture and murders, Radio Liberty reports.

As to Vladimir Putin and Ramzan Kadyrov, the RWB notes that "they are influential, dangerous, and cruel and put themselves above the law." "These persecutors of the free press have power to introduce censorship, imprison, kidnap, torture and - in the most awful cases - kill journalists," the BBC quotes the statement.

Ramzan Kadyrov is for the first time on the list. The authors of the report, while naming President of Chechnya "Putin's watchdog," note that he is completely sharing Russian Premier's hobby of using strong words and violence, The Sydney Morning Herald is quoted by the "NEWSru.com".

The RWB reminds that in November 2008 Mikhail Beketov, editor-in-chief of the "Khimkinskaya Pravda", who actively opposed the highway construction across the Khimki Forest Park, was beaten. In April 2010, an attack was made on Arkadi Lander, editor-in-chief of the Sochi-based newspaper "Mestnaya" (Local). The journalist attributed the attack to his professional work.

According to human rights activists, the majority of Russian media assets are now owned by the "Gazprom" State Company; one should never expect any broad palette of opinions presented in Russian mass media. Regional press is also under control of the governors appointed by the federal centre and local businesses, the authors of the report remark.