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TITLE: Russian Ministry "Warning" Paper for Chechen Rebel Leader's Interview |
AUTHOR: |
PUB: Nezavisimaya Gazeta |
DATE: March 8, 2001 |
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On March 2, a letter arrived at our editorial office from the Russian Ministry for the Press, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Mass Communications. The text of the letter speaks for itself. We have reproduced it below. The letter has been signed by Deputy Minister V.A. Sirozhenko. While familiarizing the newspaper's readers with the text of the warning issued to us, we do not intend as yet to comment in detail on this fact. But we cannot help making just one point. No matter what our attitude to [Aslan] Maskhadov [Chechen rebel leader*] might be, the text of his interview does not contain a call for a violent change of the constitutional system in Russia. A war, albeit a guerrilla war, is undoubtedly going on and here Maskhadov said nothing more than both Russian politicians and Russian journalists say in the mass media. However, Maskhadov is undoubtedly opposed to Russia's integrity** - combat operations against him and his like in this regard are taking place. But then, this is well known. The interview has not added anything new to this. Maskhadov's interview is of interest to Nezavisimaya Gazeta's readers, who have a right to receive free and wide-ranging information, including that about the intentions of the enemies of Russia's integrity. Another reason is the information it provides on the situation in Chechnya in all its aspects. Guided by these considerations, as well as by the ideals of the freedom of speech and the press and by the spirit and letter of the Russian constitution and the law on the mass media, the editorial office decided to publish theinterview with one of the leaders of the Chechen gunmen, with fullunderstanding that representatives of the state structures may not share our position. [Text of letter appearing separately in box, subheaded] "Warning: The Russian Federation Ministry for the Press, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Mass Communications has analyzed the interview with Aslan Maskhadov (titled: "Aslan Maskhadov ready to apologize to his people, but only after withdrawal of Russian troops from Chechnya"), published in Nezavisimaya Gazeta issue No 36 (2346) on 28 February 2001. By publishing material that incites war, calls for a violent change of the constitutional system and threatens the integrity of the state, the editorial office abused the freedom of mass information and, at the same time, violated the requirements set out in Article 4 of the Russian Federation law 'On the Mass Media'. END In this regard, the Russian Ministry for the Press, Radio and Television Broadcasting and Mass Communications, within its powers and on the basis of Article 16 of the Russian Federation law 'On the Mass Media', is hereby issuing an official warning to Nezavisimaya Gazeta editorial office. [Signed] V.A. Sirozhenko [Dated] Moscow, 2 March 2001" Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, Moscow, in Russian 3 Mar 01 END |