Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty issued a statement on Saturday condemning the harassment of its Russia office director near his home in Moscow. The statement, signed by Nenad Pejic, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, reported that on the evening of Friday, March 18, two men identifying themselves as journalists from the Russian NTV television approached the director and asked him questions about his income and properties. One of the men, who had a camera, claimed that he had obtained information from former colleagues of the Russian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The Vice President and Editor-in-Chief described the incident as 'a disgusting example of intimidation' and stated, 'It seems that Russian authorities are preparing a case against us due to our journalism and our successes.' NTV television belongs to the Gazprom media group and is known for making accusations and defaming independent journalists, dissidents, and civil activists. The incident against the director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Russia office occurred just days after a television report in Russia accused the network's journalists of 'espionage and conspiracy' against Russia. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic, provides news coverage for 23 countries in 28 languages. The budget for this radio is funded by the United States Congress. Radio Farda is the Iran service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Radio Free Europe Condemns Harassment of Its Moscow Office Director
Radio Free Europe condemned the harassment of its Moscow office director by men posing as journalists from NTV. This incident highlights the increasing intimidation tactics used by Russian authorities against independent media, particularly following recent accusations against RFE/RL journalists. It underscores the challenges faced by independent journalism in Russia.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Moscow office was approached and harassed by individuals posing as journalists from NTV, raising concerns about intimidation tactics against independent media in Russia.
- The incident involved questions about the director's personal finances and properties.
- It occurred shortly after RFE/RL journalists were accused of espionage in a Russian television report.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is funded by the U.S. Congress and operates in regions where press freedoms are limited, including Iran, where independent journalism faces severe restrictions.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%