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The review, initiated by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in collaboration with the Russian Union of Journalists, the Glasnost Defense Foundation and the Centre for Journalism in Extreme Situations as a part of World Congress in Moscow in 2007, examines 313 cases of died journalists in the Russian Federation since 1993, reviewing the circumstances around their deaths, the response of the authorities and the reasons behind the failure of the investigation.

On June 3, the capital of Norway hosted the awarding ceremony of Herd Bucerius Award “Free Press of Eastern Europe” to journalists from the CIS countries. Journalists from Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Armenia, Georgia and the Russian Federation were among the laureates.

The round table is aimed at discussion problems of disqualified people’s right protection and development of possible ways of reforming of the current legislation with due consideration of the lay of the land. The event is organized by Federal Ombudsman of Russia, Independent psychiatric association of Russia and International non-government organization Psychiatric Center for Human Rights and Russia Society of Psychiatrists. Lawyers, psychiatrists, representatives of state bodies, of guardianship and wardship authority, human rights activists, etc. are to take part in the discussion.

On March, the 15th Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held a meeting with the members of the presidential Council for Promoting Civil Society and Human Rights. Within the meeting a wide range of problems has being discussed including courts ‘ independence, attacks on human rights activists and journalists, ecology issues, youth problems, relations between authorities and NGOs etc.

Another Russian journalist has become the victim of unknown criminals’ violent attack. Several days after the attack, Vyacheslav Yaroshenko, editor-in-chief of the newspaper ‘Corruption and Crime,’ is still in a coma. While the police has so far refused to register the crime, colleagues of Yaroshenko believe the attack is related to his professional activities.

Novaya Gazeta, the Moscow newspaper that has paid a deadly price for its reporting during a period when the Kremlin has sought to rein in independent media, has been named winner of the International Press Institute’s 2009 Free Media Pioneer Award. Right, Gazeta Editor Dmitry Muratov observing last rites over the coffin of one of the four Novaya Gazeta journalists who have been killed in recent years.

Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev suggests that legislation on NGO should be amended and positive dialog between the powers and non-governmental organizations be established. The president encouraged human rights activists and NGOs to intensify their work towards respect for human rights in the conditions of economic crisis and unemployment.

The attack last night on Lev Ponomaryov, right, Executive Director of the independent organisation ‘For human rights,’ adds to the rapidly growing number of violent crimes against Russian opposition activists, journalists and human rights defenders.

The applicants, whose claims were satisfied on March 12 were residents of the Chechen settlements Urus-Martan and Tsotsi-Yurt. Their relatives disappeared after being detained and taken away by armed people in masks in the period of 2001-2003. Nothing is known about them since.