In Russia, reporting on the situation in Ukraine is a perilous exercise.
Journalists who venture there are accused of spreading "false information" and bringing "discredit" to the Russian army.
And the repression is severe.
Vassily Polonsky worked for six years for the independent web television Dojd.
Today, he pushes the door of a studio… of which only ruins remain.
On March 3, the journalist presented the channel's farewell program live.
Then almost all the editorial staff left Russia.
A haemorrhage, as wartime censorship sets in.
>> To review: Elena Voloshin's "Seen from Russia" chronicles on propaganda in Russia
"It's our moment. The moment of hot news, when events to cover arise. We should work like never before, and instead of that… There it is", notes Vassily Polonsky, who now publishes his reports on his YouTube channel , itself threatened with closure.
[1/2] 🇷🇺 The noose is tightening on the independent press in #Russia.
The adoption by the Duma of the law punishing the authors of false information on the Russian army raises fears that journalists are self-censoring.
pic.twitter.com/rFslhTWqF5
— RSF in French (@RSF_fr) March 4, 2022
Irina Babloyan had worked for 16 years for Echo Moscow radio – which also had to close.
"Journalism no longer exists. Our profession no longer exists. What will become of the graduates of journalism faculties? I don't know," she says.
Having become a blogger, Irina Babloyan explains that the media of the News Media group have "received an internal note which indicates how they should deal with the various themes".
"Starting by saying that Ukraine wants war and is itself bombing its own population, and ending with the fact that this is all the fault of the West. If you try to deviate from these internal notes and not to follow the official information line that is imposed on you, you risk 15 years in prison. You become an enemy", she specifies.
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