Russian authorities must end impunity for attacks on journalists, says OSCE Representative following another attack in Pskov

VIENNA, 30 August 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called for the Russian authoities to fully investigate and prosecute all attacks on journalists following an attack against journalist Lev Schlosberg in Pskov, in western Russia.

Schlosberg, a journalist with Pskovskaya Guberniya newspaper and an active blogger, was beaten yesterday evening near his house. Reportedly he suffered a concussion and a broken nose. Schlosberg’s latest reports covered the death of soldiers who might have been killed in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

“This and other recent attacks indicate the deteriorating safety of journalists in Russia. Attacks on journalists are not acceptable and must not be tolerated; there can be no impunity for the perpetrators. I call on the authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation to bring those responsible and the masterminds behind these acts to justice,” Mijatović said.

The incident follows recent attacks on journalists in the same region, as well as attacks on the Echo Moskvy journalist, Arseniy Vesnin, and the chief editor of Derbentskie Izvestiya newspaper, Magomed Khanmagomedov, which Mijatović raised with the authorities on 27, 25 and 21 August respectively.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on facebook.com/osce.rfom.