Pravo-Zashchita newspaper prosecuted

A press conference devoted to the prosecution of the Pravo-Zashchita newspaper was held at the Moscow Independent Press Center on February 14.

On January 11, prosecutors of Nizhni Novgorod Region launched criminal investigation into the publication of two appeals, made by Chechen separatist leaders Aslan Maskhadov and Akhmed Zakayev, in the Pravo-Zashchita newspaper.

"Special numbers of our newspaper, completely devoted to Chechnya, appear twice a month. Our small newspaper, with the circulation of 5,000 copies, tries to make up a deficiency in independent information about the Chechen armed conflict,'' Stanislav Dmitrievsky, co-chairman and executive director of the Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship and Pravo-Zashchita editor, said.

In addition to the publication of the newspaper, the Society for Russian-Chechen Friendship posts daily news on human rights in Chechnya. "It's an unbiased presentation of facts, in contrast to the newspaper, in which we permit ourselves to give very emotional comments," Mr Dmitrievsky explained. "Oksana Chelysheva translates the news into English, and it, speaking lowly, arouses certain interest not only in the Russian Federation, which, as I think, disturbs both the prosecutors and the FSB (Federal Security Service) very much. It seems to me that the authorities have adjusted TV channels, and it's time now to set about the prints," he added.