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New York, September 22, 2000 --- Alarmed at what they see as serious and intensifying threats against press freedom in Russia, leaders of major international free-press organizations have called on President Vladimir Putin to respect freedom of expression.

The protest letter lists ten serious press-freedom abuses in recent months, including the government's push to monopolize national television broadcasting, the issuance of a Cold War-style "Information Security Doctrine," and the detention and beating of an Associated Press reporter in Chechnya.

The letter was drafted by the World Press Freedom Committee of Arlington, VA. and signed by the Committee to Protect Journalists (New York), the International Federation of Journalists (Brussels), the International Federation of the Periodical Press (London), and the International Press Institute (Vienna).

Meanwhile, CPJ is proud to present Russia's Media Morass, an exclusive briefing by Russian-media expert Robert Coalson, including related stories on the "Information Security Doctrine," and the Dorenko affair by CPJ researcher Anya Paretskaya.


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