(CJES/IFEX) – New facts about the pressure on “Ivanovo Press”, a newspaper published in Ivanovo, emerged on 22 August 2006. The newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Mr. Valery Smetanin, informed CJES that he was invited to the office of the deputy of Ivanovo region governor, Mr. Sergey Pakhomov. The invitation followed a series of critical articles about activities […]
(CJES/IFEX) – New facts about the pressure on “Ivanovo Press”, a newspaper published in Ivanovo, emerged on 22 August 2006.
The newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Mr. Valery Smetanin, informed CJES that he was invited to the office of the deputy of Ivanovo region governor, Mr. Sergey Pakhomov. The invitation followed a series of critical articles about activities of the local authorities, published in the newspaper in July and August.
“During our conversation he [the deputy governor] suggested that the newspaper stop ‘blackening the reputation of the governor and Mr. Mikhail’s men.’ Then he declared that we would have problems renting our newspaper office,” said “Ivanovo Press” editor-in-chief, Smetanin, after the meeting.
“A few days later we received the notice from regional administration, informing us that they had cancelled the rent agreement with our newspaper because we did not carry out the directions of local authorities. Obviously they meant that we have not stopped criticising the authorities. They demanded that we move from the premises before 1 October 2006,” Smetanin told CJES.
The editor-in-chief has assumed that the newspaper will have great difficulties finding new office space since the authorities may put pressure on leasers.
Mr. Smetanin has also informed CJES that since 22 August, the Ivanovo branch of “Pochta Rossii” (“Mail of Russia”) has refused to sell the “Ivanovo Press” newspaper. Now only the private distributors sell the newspaper in the Ivanovo region, which considerably reduces its circulation.
