Russia Slams British Authorities Over Pressure on Guardian

[Purveyor]

MOSCOW, August 21 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Foreign Ministry sharply criticized Wednesday a British crackdown on The Guardian newspaper over its publication of secret documents leaked by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.

The Guardian’s editor-in-chief, Alan Rusbridger, has claimed that he was ordered by the British government to destroy or return some of the newspaper's Snowden files or face a court action.

In addition, David Miranda, a Brazilian national who has been working with Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald on Snowden’s intelligence leaks, was held and questioned Sunday at London’s Heathrow Airport as he traveled from Berlin to Rio de Janeiro.

“The steps taken by the British authorities against The Guardian newspaper conflict with their claims of respect for human rights, including freedom of the press, journalists’ rights and the protection of human life,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in a statement posted on the ministry’s website.

“It is a manifestation of double-standard policies applied by London regarding human rights,” he said.

more...

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20130821/182891194/Russia-Slams-British-Authorities-Over-Pressure-on-Guardian.html

[pnwmom]

1. The Russians must be really loving this. n/t

[Cali_Democrat]

3. Yep

Russia lecturing others on press freedom?

This is just too precious.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

2. Why are you giving any credence to this crap????

From Committee to Protect Journalists (random example, just one I found there):

In November 2008, neighbors had found Beketov lying in his front yard in Khimki, more than 24 hours after unidentified assailants crushed his skull, broke his legs, smashed both hands, and left him to die in the cold. Physicians removed part of Beketov's brain after the attack, and amputated a leg as well as some fingers, according to news reports. The journalist regularly visited the hospital for checkups.

Prior to the attack, Beketov had publicly accused Vladimir Strelchenko, then the mayor of Khimki, of nepotism and corruption and had heavily criticized his administration's decision to replace parts of a local forest with a freeway.

Yevgeniya Chirikova, a local environmental activist and contributor to Khimkinskaya Pravda, told CPJ that Beketov had received multiple threats in connection to his work. She said that unknown men had approached and told him, "You're due for a hit." In May 2007, unknown attackers firebombed Beketov's car, and killed his dog, Chirikova told CPJ.

Authorities, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, promised to bring his attackers to justice but investigators failed to name or arrest anyone in connection with the assault. Instead, two years after the attack, the journalist was convicted of libel in connection with a lawsuit filed by Strelchenko. He was ordered to pay 5,000 rubles in damages to the former mayor. A higher court later overturned the verdict.

Equating the stop of Miranda to what Russia does is unbelievably low.

[HooptieWagon]

4. Illustrates how low UK and US have fallen....

that Russia can call them out while keeping a straight face.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

5. Oh please,

they're just using this for propaganda. Miranda wasn't even arrested, much less had his skull bashed in.
Anyone can see right through it.

[HooptieWagon]

6. Of course they're using it for propaganda....

its because they CAN.... Just like when Castro called Florida a Banana Republic during the 2000 Election fiasco.