§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have raised with the Russian Government the closure of TV6 and ORT television stations. [HL2426]
§ Baroness AmosThe EU released a statement in February 2002 about the case of TV6, stressing the importance of independent media. The UK also raised this during bilateral human rights talks with the Russians in September 2002.
ORT has not been closed: it continues to broadcast under its new name First Channel.
§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether President Putin has now raised any matters concerning Boris Berezovsky with the United Kingdom Government. [HL2427]
§ Baroness AmosNo.
62WA
§ Lord Lamont of Lerwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions they have made representations to the Russian Government about the freedom of the press and other media in Russia. [HL2430]
§ Baroness AmosThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office raises media freedom regularly with the Russian Government both bilaterally and through the EU (which made a statement on media freedom in Russia in July last year). During our bilateral human rights talks with the Russians in September 2002 and March 2003, we raised our concerns over the closure of Russian TV channels, radio stations and newspapers as well as the continued harassment of journalists, particularly those reporting on Chechnya and those from Russia's regions. In addition, we regularly lobby on individual cases including through the FCO Freedom of Expression Panel, via EU demarches (e.g. on Grigory Pasko in Sept 2002), and during our bilateral talks (e.g. on Valentin Danilov and Igor Sutyagin in March 2003). DfID, in conjunction with the FCO, runs a number of in-country programmes aimed at developing an independent media.