Letter to President Putin
To Vladimir Putin President Russian Federation 4, Staraya Square Moscow, 103132, Russia Fax: + 7 495 728 5090 / +7 495 606 2677
Dear President Putin, On behalf of the (Name of Union) I wish to register my extreme concern at the developments in Moscow in recent days which threaten the future of the Russian Union of Journalists, the largest independent non-governmental agency in the country. We strongly urge you to intervene to prevent the closure of the offices of the Russian Union in central Moscow. At first they faced eviction due to unsubstantiated allegations of breaching fire regulations. Those claims have now been dropped, but they have learned of plans to transfer the office building to private ownership and in the process force the union out. The Union claims, with some justice, we believe, that the property is legally theirs and cannot be sold in this way. When this latest threat to the union is considered alongside the fire safety allegations (which included a call for the closure of the union office for 90 days) and the actions of the State Property Committee of Russia, which over the past year has been trying to deny the Union’s right of ownership of the premises, it is impossible not to conclude that there is a concerted effort to prevent the union from carrying out its work and by so doing deny the right of representation to Russia’s community of journalists. Having looked at the evidence in this matter we understand very well why the Russian Union is convinced that it is the victim of a concerted campaign to seize its property and to effectively eliminate it as a viable organisation in Russia. This would be disastrous for the country and for its media system. We were honored that in June last year the Russian Union hosted the congress of the International Federation of Journalists. Delegates to this congress were given powerful insights into the difficulties facing journalists across Russia. We are committed to supporting our colleagues, to working with them in developing a global community of journalists omitted to press freedom and social justice. We believe that the independent voice of the Russian Union adds greatly to the prestige and image of Russia abroad; it strengthens and highlights the democratic capacity of the country; and it sends a message that Russia is truly committed to democratic development and engagement. This action against the union, although it is in the guise of petty bureaucratic maneuvering, amounts to a serious challenge to independent and free journalism. We urge you to intervene to ensure that justice is delivered to the Russian Union that promises of ownership given by
previous administrations are honored and that your government and its agencies will respect the right of journalists to organise themselves independently. Yours Sincerely