Russian presidential body and OSCE condemn attack on journalists

Russian presidential body and OSCE condemn attack on journalists

2010-11-09 02:07:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOSCOW, RUSSIA (BNO NEWS) -- The Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) on Monday condemned the violent attack on journalists of local newspapers.

On early Saturday, Oleg Kashin, a political correspondent of Russia's daily newspaper Kommersant, was severely beaten by unidentified assailants near his house in Moscow. He suffered jaw and leg fractures as well as injuries to his fingers, according to RIA Novosti.

In response, the Presidential Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights prepared amendments to the Russian Criminal Code in order to strengthen punishment for hindering journalists from carrying out their work.

The amendments are related to the legal defense of journalists and right activists as well as stipulating the increase of responsibility for using violence against journalists. The presidential council considers that the current stipulation in the Criminal Code is working poorly on this matter.

On the other hand, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, also condemned the recent attack on another Russian journalist, Anatoly Adamchuk, which took place just about 48 hours after the attack on Kashin.

"This new assault, less than 48 hours after the brutal attack on Kommersant reporter Oleg Kashin, is yet another proof that impunity leads to further violence," Mijatovic said. "Failure to prosecute those responsible for attacks against journalists breeds violence and has a chilling effect on investigative journalism."

Adamchuck is a reporter of the Zhukovskiye vesti newspaper. He was attacked by two unidentified individuals as he was reporting on the arrests of children protesting against the destruction of the Khimki forest near Moscow. He was hospitalized with head injuries.

OSCE sent a letter on Monday to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to condemn the attacks on both Kashin and Adamchuk and called for Russian authorities to act swiftly and bring those responsible to justice.

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