#6 - JRL 6525
Moskovskii Komsomolets
October 31, 2002
WILL THE DUMA INVESTIGATE THE CONDUCT OF JOURNALISTS?
[from WPS Monitoring Agency, www.wps.ru/e_index.html]

The centrist majority in the Duma has opposed a call from the right to form a parliamentary commission to investigate the hostage- taking in Moscow. Instead, the centrist deputies made a "loyal- subject" statement yesterday.

The Duma security committee proposed a statment reading: "brave people and responsible professionals work in Russian special agencies" - as demonstrated by the operation to rescue the hostages. The "coordinated actions" of the special agencies prevented the deaths of hundreds of Russian and foreign citizens. The terrorists and their sponsors are declared to be entirely responsible for the deaths.

As for investigating the details of the terrorist act, the Duma "appeals to Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov to ensure a comprehensive investigation".

However, the Duma members are going to handle the conduct of journalists for themselves. Creating a commission for this matter is all right, according to Konstantin Vetrov, chairman of the Duma committee for information policy. "It is known for certain that some TV channels are currently preparing programs aimed at provoking anti- state attitudes in society," Vetrov claimed. He said that during the hostage-taking, the media permitted some serious violations of the law - even broadcasting the storming of the theater.

Well, certainly, journalists are much easier for the government to handle than guerrillas...