(WAN/IFEX) – The following is a WAN press release: **Updates IFEX alerts of 15 July, 9 June, 4 June, 11 March and 17 February 1999, 14 October, 21 May and 11 May 1998** Paris, 20 July 1999 For immediate release WAN Welcomes Amnesty for Russian Journalist But Condemns Conviction The World Association of Newspapers has […]
(WAN/IFEX) – The following is a WAN press release:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 15 July, 9 June, 4 June, 11 March and 17 February
1999, 14 October, 21 May and 11 May 1998**
Paris, 20 July 1999
For immediate release
WAN Welcomes Amnesty for Russian Journalist But Condemns Conviction
The World Association of Newspapers has welcomed the amnesty granted Russian
eco-journalist Grigory Pasko, but it condemned his conviction for reporting
on the illegal dumping of radioactive waste by Russia’s Pacific fleet into
the Sea of Japan.
“Grigory Pasko should be commended for exposing the dangerous nuclear
practices of the Russian Navy,” said the WAN Director General, Timothy
Balding.
“Mr. Pasko worked in the best traditions of journalism — he focused
attention on a matter of high public concern. Russian institutions are in
dire need of independent oversight, and journalists should be encouraged to
expose such wrongdoing without fear of prosecution,” said Mr Balding.
Mr Pasko, who has been jailed since his arrest in November 1997, received a
three-year sentence on Tuesday but walked free under an amnesty because he
had already served more than one-third of the sentence, the Interfax news
agency reported.
Mr Pasko’s trial by a military tribunal was closed to the public and stems
from his reporting on the dumping of chemical and liquid radioactive waste
by the Pacific fleet in the Sea of Japan. Mr Pasko, who worked for the
Pacific Fleet’s newspaper, provided video footage to Japan’s NHK television,
where it was featured in a report about ecological crimes committed by the
Russian military.
His lawyers had contended that information was already in the public domain
and that the investigation by the Federal Security Service, the successor to
the KGB, was biased. In announcing its decision, the court said several
violations were committed during the investigation, Interfax said.
The Paris-based WAN, the global association of the newspaper industry,
defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 15,000
newspapers and its membership includes 61 national newspaper publisher
associations, individual newspaper executives in more than 90 countries, 17
news agencies and seven regional press groups.
