Search at Boris Stomakhin's apartment

On 12 April, agents for the Moscow's public prosecutor seized a computer, books, newspapers and other documents during a search of the apartment of the editor of the Radikalnaya Gazeta newspaper. The public prosecutor is investigating Stomakhin for "incitement of national, racial or religious hatred." He could face four years' imprisonment. (Editor's note: Boris Stomakhin is known as a strong advocate of Chechnya's independence who does not cover his sympathy for the Chechen resistance movement.)

Criminal Case No. 8706, in which Boris Stomakhin is named as the accused, was brought on 18 December 2003 following a request to the Public Prosecutor General of Russia by Viktor Zorkaltsev, a communist deputy in the State Duma. The case refers to items published in Radikalnaya Gazeta, which has a circulation of several hundreds of copies.

The investigation under Article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is being led by Snezhanna Kolobova of Moscow's North-East administrative district. Kolobova is an investigator for particularly important cases.

The search began at approximately 8 p.m. and continued for over two hours. The search warrant stated that it was being conducted in order to seize "objects and papers which are banned for use by citizens, a computer and other technical equipment". Boris Stomakhin stated before the search began that he had no banned items.

In the course of the search, staff of the prosecutor's office seized Stomakhin's personal computer, copies of several issues of Radikalnaya Gazeta, leaflets, a book of memoirs of Alla Dudayeva, brochures from various conferences on the war in Chechnya, floppy disks and editorial material. Investigator Kolobova also removed a photo of Alla Dudayeva.

Following the search Stomakhin was issued with a summons to attend for questioning at the public prosecutor's office at 4 p.m. on 13 April.

"Putin's second term has begun, as we predicted, with a bang," Boris Stomakhin said. "Freedom of speech was limited before, but now successors to the State Security Committee (KGB) are after what remains of the independent print media, and soon they will attack Internet publications."