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Pskov, March 25. “People who don’t enjoy freedom of information
cannot create a compatible 21st century economy,” stated the leader
of YABLOKO Grigory Yavlinsky in his comments on freedom of speech
in Russia for journalists in Pskov.
According to Yavlinsky, the federal mass media in Russia are
subject to political censorship. “Today the first and second federal
[television] channels are propagandistic, and do not function
any more as independent television and only broadcast what is
allowed,” added Yavlinsky. According to Yavlinsky, television
has “lists of forbidden topics and persona non-grata”.
Yavlinsky pointed out that the lack of freedom of speech is
extremely dangerous for society, noting: “People are losing confidence
in themselves and their hopes for the future. This is especially
obvious in the manipulation of public opinion during election
campaigns.”
Yavlinsky stressed: “People that are duped and manipulated cannot
create a 21st century economy. – We will lose against the competition,
not because we are not that clever, but simply because we failed
to protect the rights that we were granted by our Constitution.”
Grigory Yavlinsky visited Pskov to support YABLOKO’s candidates
running for the elections to the regional duma scheduled for March
31.
See also:
Freedom
of Speech and Media Law in Russia
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