Widow Nawalnys starts free television stations for Russia - a glimmer of hope!

Widow Nawalnys starts free television stations for Russia - a glimmer of hope!

Russland - The widow of the opposition plans to found a television station that will devote himself to the freedom of press in Russia. The broadcaster, which is supposed to bear the name "Future of Russia", is created in cooperation with the organization Reporter Without Borders (RSF) from Paris. It is planned to spread the transmitter via a satellite system so that it can reach the entire Russian population.

The transmitter is founded against the background of an alarming development of freedom of the press in Russia. According to Reporter without limits , state leaders like Putin have taken a critical attitude towards independent journalists. Anyone who comments against the Kremlin is often exposed to threats or even physical attacks. The organization has evaluated the freedom of the press in 180 countries and Russia occupies a worrying place. In the scale, the evaluation ranges from "good location" to "very serious location".

In a current ranking, Russia is 149 out of 180 countries in relation to freedom of the press, which underlines the risk to media professionals. Since Vladimir Putin took office in 2000, at least 36 journalists have been murdered, while many other victims of poison attacks have become. These crimes rarely be informed, which results in high impunity. The organization has documented that the murder is often connected to the victims' journalistic activity.

The risks for journalists

The risks of critical votes in Russia remain high. RSF particularly concerned about the security Conditions under which journalists and opposition bloggers have to work. These are often confronted with judicial measures, high fines or even prison terms. The case of Iwan Safronow, which was arrested because of a treason, shows how serious the situation for journalists in Russia is. There are currently at least six journalists in prison.

The foundation of the broadcaster "Future of Russia" could be seen as a brave step to promote press freedom in a country that mercilessly punishes government -critical voices. In view of the diverse threats to media professionals in Russia, it remains to be seen how effective this new station will be in its commitment to freedom of the press.