Geriev's case is a core of PEN-Centre's report on pressure on journalists

Zhalaudi Geriev, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, convicted in Chechnya, should be immediately released, the PEN-Centre-Moscow Association has said in a report on the restriction of the freedom of speech in Russia.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on September 5, 2016, Zhalaudi Geriev, a Chechen journalist and a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, was sentenced to three years in a general security colony on charges of drug possession. The Human Rights Centre (HRC) "Memorial" has announced Geriev to be a political prisoner.

The presentation of the report "Severe restrictions of the freedom of speech and the freedom of self-expression in 2012-2018" was held on October 10 at the Moscow office of the International Society "Memorial".

The chapter of the report entitled "Freedom of speech in mass media under threat" deals with pressure on independent media, issues of security and arrests of journalists, as well as the issues of media blocking and pressure on social networks, Olga Drobot, a member of the PEN-Centre Moscow, said at the presentation.

In fact, the main case in the chapter on violations of journalists' rights is the analysis of Zhalaudi Geriev's case, Nadezhda Azhgikhina, the director of the PEN-Centre Moscow, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "He is the person worthy to draw attention to. Unfortunately, his case hasn't become a subject of public discussion. We'll draw attention to him, as well as to every journalist who was persecuted or attacked," she explained.

"The International PEN-Centre, the PEN-Centre Moscow and the Saint Petersburg's PEN-Centre believe that the accusations against Zhalaudi Geriev had to do with his publications; and they demand immediate and unconditional release of the journalist," the report says.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 12, 2018 at 09:02 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.