Russian online journalist Aleksandr Podrabinek, 56, known for his sharp commentary on political and social issues, has gone into hiding after receiving a series of threats stemming from a September 21 commentary on the news website Yezhednevny Zhurnal that pointed out the human rights abuses of the Soviet government.
Angered by Podrabinek’s piece, members of the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi (Ours) have repeatedly harassed the journalist and his family, according to news accounts and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Podrabinek wrote Monday on his personal blog, hosted by LiveJournal, that he fears for his safety.
“Harassing Aleksandr Podrabinek and his family is unacceptable,” said Nina Ognianova, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Moscow authorities must guarantee the safety of Podrabinek and his family and take appropriate law enforcement action against those responsible for this harassment. In a democratic country, no journalist should have to go into hiding because of his work.”
“This hate campaign against Podrabinek, which has even included calls for his death, must stop at once,” Paris-based Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) said. “The authorities must appeal for calm and curb this outburst of fury. A man’s life and respect for free expression in Russia are both at stake. This episode highlights how difficult it is in Russia today to challenge the official version of what happened during the Soviet era.”
Podrabinek’s ordeal started after he wrote an opinion piece that criticised local officials for pressuring a Moscow diner to remove a sign heralding its name, “Anti-Soviet.” The diner, which opened in July, had adopted its name as a tongue-in-cheek reference to its location across from the Hotel Soviet. But officials from the Moscow’s Northern District were not amused; they filed a complaint, purportedly on behalf of an organisation of World War II veterans, saying the name was offensive.
Podrabinek, a former Soviet dissident and political prisoner who is now a prominent human rights defender, used sharp language in his piece to criticise veterans who pressured the diner. Podrabinek said they were seeking to polish the image of the Soviet Union while omitting its record of human rights abuses.
Soon after the article was published, members of Nashi pledged to picket Podrabinek’s home indefinitely for “defiling the honour of veterans,” the news agency Interfax reported. The head of Nashi, Nikita Borovikov, announced on Monday on the group’s website that Nashi would demand Podrabinek’s expulsion from Russia if the writer did not apologise. The group published Podrabinek’s home address.
Yezhednevny Zhurnal told CPJ that it has received anonymous threats suggesting violent action would be taken against Podrabinek and its own editors. The independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, to which Podrabinek has contributed articles since 2005, reported online that several members of Nashi visited the paper’s offices and demanded to know Podrabinek’s whereabouts. The editors refused.
In an interview with Novaya Gazeta Wednesday, Podrabinek’s wife, Alla, said Nashi pickets have besieged the family’s home, repeatedly calling the family over the apartment building’s intercom and arriving at times at the apartment door.
Officials with the Moscow Department of Internal Affairs told Novaya Gazeta that picketing that involves more than two individuals must be approved by the local government. It is unclear whether Nashi has received approval.
“The state is obligated to defend Podrabinek,” veteran human rights advocate Lyudmila Alekseyeva told CPJ. “I know how difficult it is to receive a permission from authorities to hold a protest. And, here, Nashi is allowed to harass not only Podrabinek, but also his wife and children. By allowing this to happen, our state is sanctioning illegal, undemocratic actions,” Alekseyeva said.
