A day after journalist Akhmednabi Akhmednabiyev was gunned down in Dagestan, two State Duma deputies have introduced a bill aimed at toughening penalties for violence against members of the media, a news report said Wednesday.
Valery Trapeznikov of United Russia and Mikhail Serdyuk of A Just Russia said they submitted the bill because the number of assaults on journalists had increased in recent times both in public and in the workplace.
Akhmednabiyev, 55, deputy editor for the weekly Novoye Delo newspaper, was shot and killed Tuesday morning in his car by an unknown assailant in the village of Semender.
The proposed bill would introduce a fine of up to 200,000 rubles ($6,000) or a prison sentence of up to five years for threatening or assaulting a journalist. If it is established that the journalist's life was in danger, the prison sentence could rise to 10 years.
Trapeznikov stressed that protection should be strengthened for journalists involved in investigative reporting on corruption.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
