ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS APPEALED TO PUTIN
Lragir.am
Politics – 23 April 2015, 20:53
Leaders of the independent Armenian newspaper Third Force Plus (“TFP”),
illegally closed by the efforts of the Russian FSS (Federal Security
Service) and their representatives in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,
addressed an open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Copies of
the appeal of Armenian journalists are given the Presidents of Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh, chairman of the parliament and government of
the two Armenian states, UN, OSCE and EU, all embassies in Yerevan,
human rights and journalistic organizations, the media in different
countries. It states:
“Dear Mr. President!
This is the fourth year that the legal authorities of the Russian
Federation violate the rights of the international staff of our
newspaper, refusing to investigate the theft of its funding from
the FSS Lieutenant Colonel Vadim Pozdyshev officially presented
us as a member of the Federation Council. As a result of the crime
committed by the Russian official, the newspaper, promotes only the
idea of friendship and cooperation of different nations, was forced
to suspend its activities.
In 2010 the FSS opened a criminal case against V. Pozdyshev for this
crime, and in 2011 he was dismissed from the government service. This
fact is confirmed by numerous testimonies not only from relatives and
a representative from the FSS authorities, but also of the offender
(the newspaper can provide you with a copy of their written messages).
Crime against “TFP” was proved repeatedly and in documentary form.
Preserved even written acknowledgment of Pozdyshev that he was
dismissed from the public service for this theft. In other words,
the FSS itself was assured of the fraudulent actions of V. Pozdyshev,
“punished” him for the robbery of journalists and even forbade him
from travelling abroad, at least until 2015. But return money honestly
earned by an international staff of the newspaper, it’s not, to put
it mildly, in a hurry.
We notified about this egregiously criminal act the director of FSS
A.V. Bortnikov, the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Y.Y.
Chaika, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian
Federation A.I.Bastrykin, asking them to help in the restoration of
an elementary rule of law in this matter and return the publication
collective funds misappropriated FSS officer. But all Russian law
enforcers, frankly covering criminal, do not make the simplest
procedures prescribed by law, even the most backward countries in
the world. Silent also the Russian Embassy in Armenia. Visibility of
some investigation attempted to create only the Interior Ministry, but
after three months of serious deliberation decided to refer the matter
to the Federal Security Service, citing his “special importance”.
Representatives of the Russian Themis, in flagrant violation of the
law, even afraid to question us as witnesses, as well aware of the
validity of claims of Armenian journalists. As we are told colleagues
from the Russian Federation, the cause of all these iniquities one:
if the offender – the FSS, he will not be prosecuted in Russia.
We also inform you that on September 29 and on October 5, 2012
Presidential Plenipotentiary, the Russian government and the party
“United Russia” informed us in written that our appeal to the
consideration by the FSS. The Russian government has instructed the
FSS to the staff of the newspaper, quote, “substantiated response on
the merits of the raised issues” contained in our circulation, and
“send a copy to the Government of the Russian Federation”. Moreover,
your press secretary Dmitry Peskov assistants, who introduced Julia
and Veronica, told us that the treatment of journalists “lying on his
desk” (audio recording of a conversation with them also saved). But
the situation has not changed…
Dear Mr. President! On Your arrival to Armenia on the occasion of
the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide we were going to go on
hunger strike in protest against the arbitrariness of Russian officials
in the attitude of the team edition. However, the reluctance to
overshadow the visit of the President of the Russian Federation and be
misconstrued the public and colleagues from the media, we have decided
to postpone the protest until your response to this appeal. We believe
that the President of the Russian Federation, has repeatedly spoken in
favor of strengthening the Armenian-Russian relations, will respond
to the call of journalists seems to be a friendly country and take
action to recover the most-most elementary laws. Fair investigation
of this case under the law – our only desire. If the edition of the
newspaper is wrong in its demands, we are ready to make a public
apology to the public of the two countries and even suffer for it
corresponding responsibility. If it rights as we demand return our
funds stolen by Russian officials. Emphasize again: for the theft,
he was dismissed from the civil service in the Russian Federation.
Mr. President! As the management of the Russian Embassy in Armenia
systematically demonstrates the “problem” with vision and hearing and
apparently blocking our letters to the authorities of the Russian
Federation, we are sending copies of this appeal and the embassies
of other countries in Yerevan with a request to submit it to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation through the
Russian embassy in their country. The Russian Ambassador to Armenia Mr.
Volinkin did not leave a choice.
We ask you to reply to the letter in accordance with the order of
consideration of citizens.
Vahram AGHAJANYAN
Editor-in-chief of “Third Force Plus”
Nelson SARGSYAN
Executive Director of “TFP”
Tel. 097-31-03-67; 077-15-65-15
April 18, 2015