Organizations of journalists are concerned of the attempt to intimidate the head of "Echo Moskvy" Radio

The Committee to Protect Journalists, the Union of Journalists of Russia and the Centre of Extreme Journalism are concerned of the attempt to intimidate the head of the "Echo Moskvy" Radio by expressing a veiled threat to Alexei Venediktov, editor of independent radio station "Echo Moskvy". They link the fact that an axe and a video camera were found at the journalist's apartment with his professional activities.

Last night, Mr Venediktov detected at the door of his apartment in Moscow an axe thrust into a log and a video camera aimed at the door of his apartment.

On February 5, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) made a statement. "We are deeply indignant with this attempt to intimidate Alexei Venediktov and we call Russian authorities to hold a detailed and serious investigation of the incident," said Nina Ognyanova, coordinator of the CPJ programme for Europe and Middle Asia.

"Mr Venediktov heads one of the independent and most fearless radio stations of Russia, which does not fear to provide air to various critical voices. In view of the high level of violence and intimidation of media professionals, the Russian authorities shall extremely seriously consider the incident," runs the statement of the CPJ, which arrived to the address of the "Caucasian Knot".

Earlier Alexei Venediktov already received threats, as the "Komsomolskaya Pravda" writes. "Unknown people telephoned me, asked to think of what I was doing, about my family and my son," the newspaper quoted the journalist's words.

We remind you that the work of Venediktov and his radio station was criticized last September by Russian Premier Vladimir Putin, who expressed his discontent with how the "Echo Moskvy" Radio covered the events in Georgia. Mr Venediktov himself then treated Mr Putin's statements as unfair; however, he asked his personnel to be more attentive in covering the events and present a "sufficient" viewpoint of the government.