New database on violations of journalists' rights presented in Moscow

Today, the Moscow House of Journalists hosted presentation of a new database containing information on violations of journalists' rights "Russia – Conflicts in Media".

The created database, devoted to attacks on journalists, intimidation, beatings and harassment, is a new resource. "This work was made possible through the cooperation of various organizations, colleagues from different countries," said Nadezhda Azhgikhina, Secretary of the Russian Union of Journalists.

Vsevolod Bogdanov, Chairman of the Russian Union of Journalists, reminded the participants of the presentation that "no famous murder, which was brought under control by top-ranking officials, has been investigated," and, according to Bogdanov, will never be solved. However, it should not become an excuse to give up trying to find out the truth and not to intervene in a situation where "our colleague is being persecuted by power or mafia".

Alexei Simonov, President of the Glasnost Defence Foundation, confirmed the interest of some countries in creating a similar database. "Some countries of Latin America expressed their interest. Mexico and Colombia are eager to establish a database like this at their places," he said.

The new resource, available at mediaconflictsinrussia.org, daily records a wide range of incidents – from censorship and criminal prosecution to threats and attacks on journalists across the entire Russia. From the beginning of the 90s, the Glasnost Defence Foundation and its regional network of correspondents holds monitoring, which now serves as a source of information for the database.

According to its creators, the new database provides an opportunity to campaign against violations, monitor development of situation in specific regions and take appropriate actions when a certain person or mass medium becomes an object of a targeted campaign of intimidation and persecution.