Posted on 05/25/2006 4:44:18 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
MOSCOW - Prosecutors are investigating a journalist for publishing an article mocking President Vladimir Putin over his call to pay Russian women to have more children, an official said Wednesday.
The article was published by Vladimir Rakhmankov, editor of the online newspaper Kursiv in the central city of Ivanovo, said Andrei Galchenko of the regional prosecutor's office.
The piece poked fun at Putin's recent state of the nation address that called for economic incentives to boost the country's plummeting birth rate. Russian media reported that the publication suggested that animals at a local zoo increased their mating, heeding Putin's call.
Rakhmankov could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His article could not be seen, because the Web site has been shut down.
Galchenko said the investigation was launched because the article "contained phrases of an insulting nature aimed at the president."
If convicted of insulting a representative of the authorities, Rakhmankov faces up to 12 months of corrective labor or a fine, Galchenko said.
The suspect has been summoned for questioning, Galchenko said.
Since coming to power six years ago, Putin has reined in major independent television channels. Critics accuse his government of curtailing freedom of speech.
"This case illustrates the outrageous lengths that authorities will go to silence critical voices," said Ann Cooper, the head of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.
Rakhmankov could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His article could not be seen, because the Web site has been shut down.
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I wonder what he said? :-\
If I ever go over there, I'm going to have to keep a zipper on it. I was still active on Lucianne.com when I first saw pictures of Vladimir Putin and my initial reaction was "Man...that guy has the eyes of a stone killer." Which is probably something you want to be careful about saying about a retired KGB agent.
He said something along the line of that after Putin's speech, the animals at a russian zoo where seen mating more.
Read it in another article about it today. Goes to show what kind of freedom of speech you have in Russia these days.
"If convicted of insulting a representative of the authorities, Rakhmankov faces up to 12 months of corrective labor or a fine, Galchenko said. "
This is one of the laws Russia imposed last year to crush the opposition
It applies to websites, too.
Be careful what you say on FR if youre planning on a trip there :-)
If thats the case, I'm already on Putin's banned from entering Russia list.
"Be careful what you say on FR if youre planning on a trip there :-)"
Why? Are you an informant?
The RWC mantra:
"It is difficult to understand what Putin has in mind but remember the terrible cost that Russia paid blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah blahblahblahblahblahblahAmericanIndiansblahblah
blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah.
blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah blahblahblahblahblahblahSorosblahblahblahblahblahblah
blahblahblahblahblahblahblahblahblah Stalin was Ukrainian blahblahblahblahblahJewish Polish blahblahblahblahblahNaziblahblahblahblahblah, not Russian."
The PPC Mantra: "I hate all Russians, Russians are evil" Oh, yes, that's right I did actually go to visit the Soviet Union (the country I "claim" to loathe) and support them by providing them hard currency. Spinalot=FRAUD.
But yet, these guys never have trouble getting their visas renewed: www.exile.ru
CAUTION - Do NOT go to that website at work - CAUTION
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