Dew 2007

“What are you driving at? That it was a murder approved by the authorities?

There are a lot of such cases in any country.

”

 

No, I don't contend that this particular murder was approved by the authorities at all. It is just an example of the difficulties a journalist may have to face in Russia. Murders like this are likely to decrease freedom of speech. Many a reporter values his life so much that he refrains from writing anything that may endanger it. It's as simple as that.

"There are a lot of such cases in any country." Name one that took place in Finland. In my lifetime no journalist has been murdered here. We wouldn't be at the top of the free press list of Reporters Without Borders if journalists were routinely killed in Finland.

CB

Dew 2007

“I am glad that you live in Finnland - a quiet country without much problems and different ethnic and religious groups. But wherever there are problems no journalist can feel safe. I only object to the fact that you only refer such a situation only to Russia.

”

 

We have all kinds of religious minorities. The difference is that people who write about them or criticize them don't get killed. I have written about human rights violations in other countries as well, the United States and China, for example, and I can assure you that I'll keep on doing that whenever I see something worth writing about. I'll even write about any such violation in Finland.

CB

Hi, guys. It is very interesting theme, that you are discussing. So I've decided to join your company  .

If you interested in the freedom of speech in Russia, I can say what I see from here, one of Russian towns.

People are free to say everything, that is not:
1. A call for an overthrow a government
2. A call for mass riots
3. A calumny to somebody.

As for murders of journalists, I think it is very strange. If somebody wants to make jouralist keep silence, there are a lot of ways to do this. They can give him money, or intimidate him, etc. Variants for authorities are: make him discharged by his employer (and put his name to some blacklist), or throw him in jail.
Even if somebody wants to kill the man, why it is need to shoot him? Automobile accident, abduction, missing, domestic poisoning, some accident. There are lots of ways to get rid of the man. But journalists in Russia are usually shooted  . Everyboby knows that killing journalists is very undemocratic, because it shows that freedom of speech is low. Russian government tries to look democratic, they talk about it very often. It is obvious for everybody (anyway in Russia). Do you think these people (government and KGB) are so stupid to organize shooting of journalists? I don't think so. I think it is more profitable to foreign special services (does CIA still read this?  ). Unless, how to make Russia undemocratic in the eyes of Americans and Europeans?
Unfortunately, the government can't give security guards to every journalist.

As far as I can see from foreign mass media, the situation in some "West" countries is almost the same. Mass media criticize Britain and American ministers and senators, but the president and the prime minister are criticised rarely and very prudently. The same is here... I just noticed that english media carry a little more propaganda, then russian  , but it is mine opinion.

Best regards 2all

An exceptionally large number of artists, lawyers, politicians and other eminent people have demanded freedoms of various kinds and democracy in China. Their Charter '08 was published yesterday. You can read an English translation of it here. Anyone who criticises the Chinese government is usually punished. Two of those who signed the Charter were arrested before the Charter was released. (Helsingin Sanomat)

CB

    I think the freedom depends on the level  of opening to the outside world, such as china ,I  felt that deeply in recent years !