The Russian-Chechen Information Agency is awarded one of the Fritt Ord´s and ZEIT-Stiftung Press Prizes 2006. The prize is aimed at Eastern European media and journalists who are dedicated to independent reporting and who dare to withstand self-censorship. But for its chief director, Stanislav Dmitriyevsky, this comes at a price. (13-FEB-05)
In October last year three organisation of the Human Rights House Network: the Rafto Human Rights House, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and the Human Rights House Foundation nominated the Information Agency for the price. In their argumentation they wrote:
“Via its website www.ria.hrnnov.ru/ the Russian-Chechen Information Agency informs about the human rights situation in the Chechen Republic in both English and Russian. The site and the monthly newspaper “Pravo-zaschita (Human Rights Defence) are some of the few independent Russian sources of information about Russia´s war in the Chechen Republic. The website is run by the Russian-Chechen Friendship Society (RCFS) based in Nizhni Novgorod. Since 2000, the edition of the newspaper has been a joint project between the RCFS and the Nizhny Novgorod Region Society for Human Rights.
One of the major problems with the second Chechen war within the Russian Federation has been the lack of information available. Very few sources have the capacity to bring up-dated reports about what is going on in the conflict area. Both the Russian-Chechen Information Agency’s newspaper and website pay attention to the monthly abuses, disappearances and arrests within the Chechen Republic and the neighbouring republic of Ingushetia. The newspaper is not only covering the bad news, but also signs of improvement of the situation and initiatives taken by human rights defenders to that effect.
The publication of Pravo-zaschita is made possible with support from the European Union and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The number of copies for distribution is 5000. In the last year, however, Russian authorities have made distribution more difficult. The Russian-Chechen Information Agency has not been able to publish its newspaper monthly because of the harassment and pressure that has been mounted against both the paper and the Editor himself.”
Grateful
In a reaction the chief director of the Russian-Chechen Information Agency, Stanislav Dmitriyevsky, right, was grateful to his nominators. He added: “It is very important to receive this prize in the current conditions when the organisation and her members are subjected to different kinds of harassments.” The awards will be handed out on May 19 in the city hall of Hamburg, Germany. Apart from the award, the Information Agency will also receive 20.000 euro.
Sentenced
But the Agency´s commitment to fair and balanced reporting is not appreciated by the Russian authorities. Last week Human Rights House Network reported on a court case against Stanislav Dmitriyevsky for publishing two articles of Chechen separatists in Pravozaschita (Human Rights Defense). In these articles the former Chechen leader A. Mashadov and his representative A. Zakaev appeal to the Russian people and the European Parliament calling for a peaceful resolution of the Chechen conflict and severely criticizing President Putin, the Russian government, and the Russian armed forces. As a consequence Dmitrievski was charged under Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Procedure Code of actions intended to stir up national and racial hatred. The court in Nizhny Novgorod sentensed him to four years of probation with a two year suspended sentence. In other words, Dmitrievsky must remain silent for the next four years or risk immediate imprisonment.
