OSCE media watchdog expresses concern to Ivanov over Russian journalist jailed for libel

VIENNA, 27 August 2003 - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, has written to the Russian Foreign Minister, Igor Ivanov, raising the case of a prominent Russian journalist who was sentenced to one year in a labour camp for alleged libel.

"I greatly fear the consequences of this action for the future of independent journalism in the Russian Federation," said Mr. Duve in his letter to the Foreign Minister.

The journalist, German Galkin, publisher of Rabochaya Gazeta, and deputy editor of Vecherny Chelyabinsk, was charged with libelling and insulting two deputy governors of the Chelyabinsk region, Andrei Kosilov and Konstantin Bochkaryov in articles that appeared last year.

On 15 August, after being convicted of criminal defamation in a closed trial, the Chelyabinsk district court handed down a sentence one year in a labour camp.

In his letter, Mr. Duve emphasized his Institution's position that no journalist should be sentenced to prison for what he or she writes, and that the offence of libel should be de-criminalized:

"Allow me to reiterate that in a democracy, writing about the activities of public servants is part of a journalist's professional duties. It is my firm belief that no special protection should be given to public officials, who need to exercise a greater level of tolerance toward criticism than ordinary citizens."

Although the Russian criminal code (Articles 129 and 130) does provide for imprisonment for libel, this is the first time since 1991 that a Russian journalist has been sentenced to a prison term following a closed trial.