Moscow is going against the well connected Rosbalt news page for the alleged use of foul language. The case threatens to strain relations with Berlin.

Russia’s media regulator has set for the first time by the closure of an editorial of “obscene word choice.” A court announced on Thursday at the request of the authority Roskomnadzor and lifted the license of the news agency Rosbalt on. The judge justified the decision by saying Rosbalt had repeated “obscene wording” served – so widespread Russian swear words.

Agency boss Natalia Tscherkessova and their editors now remain a month – as long as they can appeal to the Supreme Court. Would be affected by the closure of 60 editors and numerous freelance staff. Rosbalt headquartered in St. Petersburg had developed in the shadow of the big news agencies such as Ria Novosti and Interfax a popular especially in the Internet medium.

Vladimir Putin made ​​the spread of abuse punishable half a year ago, in early April, the President signed an amendment to Russia’s media law. The media watchdog sent warning letters to editors. It said it values ​​the spread of abuse as “abuse of press freedom.”

Placed over swear words beep

Rosbalt reporting on two Internet video clips is now proved fatal : one shows a scene after a car accident , the other an appearance of imitators of the protest group Pussy Riot . Both films contain indecent in Russia , but not unpopular curses. Like many other media also published the posts on your website Rosbalt . The responsible editor had , as usual, but added a beep on the swear words . The media regulator referred to in court , however, on the circulating on YouTube , uncensored version.

Press representatives reacted angrily to the closure of the News Agency . The case will be ” adversely affect the entire media environment and freedom of expression in the country,” said Pavel Gusev , editor of the widely circulated tabloid newspaper ” Moskovsky Komsomolets ” . The attack on Rosbalt was not appropriate ” to improve the image of our country ,” criticized Nikolai Svanidze , TV journalist and biographer of former President Dmitry Medvedev.

Consequences for the Petersburg Dialogue?

The actions of the Russian censors could also further strain the already tense relations with Berlin. Rosbalt boss Tscherkessova is a member of the Steering Committee of the German-Russian Petersburg Dialogue. Traditionally, the working groups on the last day of the Forum submit Chancellor Angela Merkel and Putin. Perhaps Russia’s President must then listen to unpleasant questions Rosbalt. Since there are a few: The Rosbalt editors can not understand why their medium to be closed, while other editors have so far mostly been in similar cases with warnings about it.

Although Rosbalt stands for independent journalism, newspapers and Web sites in the Kremlin, Moscow attack but much sharper. Compared to the millions of people that reaches around the Putin-critical radio station Echo of Moscow, the range of Rosbalt is low. Perhaps the editors should be weakened for a hostile takeover.

Good contacts with police and intelligence

Is that of all Rosbalt become victims of the authorities by surprise. In particular police and intelligence agencies, the agency is considered well connected. After the xenophobic riots in the Moscow suburb Biryulevo mid-October Rosbalt reported exclusively on knowledge of the security agencies. This reported that the riots were deliberately stoked.

The excellent links to the intelligence community also has family reasons . Rosbalt boss Tscherkessowa is married to a former general . Viktor Cherkesov Putin began his career as the Soviet KGB in Leningrad , now St. Petersburg . After the collapse of the Soviet Union rose to Cherkesov Petersburg- chief of the Russian Federal Security Service FSB. When Putin moved into the Kremlin in 2000 , he made Cherkesov only to his representative in Russia’s north-west , and later as head of the powerful drug police FSKN . Cherkesov but fell out of favor when he made public in 2007 and conflicts of a “war of the secret ” language .

As a racket early October his wife stopped the car and its driver , which closed in Saint Petersburg , submitted some phone calls to arrest the perpetrators. In Russia ‘s northern capital General Cherkesov is still a popular man

To fend off the attack on the media regulator Rosbalt , his influence but not enough . Cherkesov now sits as a member of the Communists in Parliament – on the benches of the opposition.

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