COMMONWEALTH PRESS UNION
INTER AMERICAN PRESS ASSOCIATION
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTING
INTERNATIONAL PRESS INSTITUTE
NORTH AMERICAN BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION
WORLD ASSOCIATION OF NEWSPAPERS
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM COMMITTEE
H.E. Vladimir V. Putin
President
The Kremlin
Moscow, Russia
Fax: + 7095 206 5173
21 November 2002
Your Excellency,
Members of the Coordinating Committee of Press Freedom Organizations, present at the meeting on 21 November 2002 in Vienna, Austria, have been following with anxiety the rapid degradation of press freedom in Russia.
Mr. President, you have been courageous in joining the global anti-terrorist coalition. But under no circumstances should the struggle against terrorism be used as an excuse to limit press freedom. Such a step would have long term consequences to the security not only of Russia but of the whole world.
The amendments to the Media Law recently approved by the Russian Duma seriously threaten press freedom in Russia and, in practice, mean the establishment of censorship.
The world terrorist network could not exist without corruption and illegal flows of funds. Corruption cannot be conquered without a free press. Democracies without the watchdog of the free press may become corrupted.
We ask you, Mr. President, not to allow the Duma to make this terrible mistake, to take from you and the people of Russia the most powerful tool in your fight against corruption. For the good of the people of Russia and of press freedom, we ask you to veto the Duma amendments to the press law.
Commonwealth Press Union
North American Broadcasters Association
Inter American Press Association
World Association of Newspapers
International Association of Broadcasting
World Press Freedom Committee
International Press Institute