NEW RUSSIAN SECRETS PRINCIPLES IGNORE KURSK LESSONS - INVESTORS URGED TO ACT

New and alarming 'guiding principles' restricting the flow of information on

environmental hazards, military forces and the economy, and stepping up

'counter-propaganda' activities were signed into force by President Putin on

9 September 2000. They show that far from moving towards international

standards and reacting to domestic demand for less state control of

information following the Kursk disaster, the government is reverting to

Soviet-style secrecy on public interest matters.

According to ARTICLE 19, the Doctrine of the Information Security of the

Russian Federation indicates growing government paranoia about the potential

for independent domestic and foreign information to undermine its own

propaganda and highlights an intention to clamp down on such information and

the technology behind it.

Andrew Puddephatt, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 said:

"Government transparency and accountability will go out of the window if

these principles are enforced.1 Investors should beware - these rules are

likely to cancel out any moves Putin has made towards challenging corruption

and opening up the economy."

"The Doctrine clearly signals an intention to introduce strong and

repressive legislation in this area, and indicates a worrying move away from

democratic development. We have written to the President urging him to

withdraw the document and publicly to refute the values it represents", he

added.

The Doctrine seeks to entrench in law increased government control over

freedom of information and the media, for example by increasing state

control over information dissemination, introducing penalties for spreading

'false news' and recommending mandatory licensing of journalists. Such

measures clearly contradict international and constitutional standards and

make a nonsense of references in the document to upholding such standards.

Ambiguous calls, such as for counteracting the "use of uncertified domestic

and foreign technologies" and "defining more clearly the status of foreign

information agencies, mass media and journalists as well as investors"

should set alarm bells ringing for those with business interests in Russia.

ENDS

For more information call +44 20 7278 9292 or e-mail europe@article19.org

Note

1. The Doctrine is said to be a set of guiding principles which are not

legally binding. However, it provides guiding principles for the bringing

into law of a wide range of measures, starting from the assumption that

official information should be protected.

Reply to:

Ilana Cravitz, Communications Officer

ilana@article19.org

Direct line: +44 20 7713 1356

ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression

Lancaster House, 33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH, UK

Tel: +44 20 7278 9292, Fax: +44 20 7713 1356, e-mail: info@article19.org,

www.article19.org