Russian Media Is Like 'Brezhnev-Era Propaganda'

from Der Spiegel

Alexander Lebedev, Russian businessman, member of the State Duma and co-owner of the critical Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, spoke to SPIEGEL about the murder of Anna Politkovskaya and the lack of press freedom in Russia.

SPIEGEL: Shortly after Politkovskaya's murder, you advertised a reward equivalent to about €700,000 for the capture of the guilty parties. Do you now consider the case solved?

Alexander Lebedev: That will be for the courts to decide. I will be happy to pay the reward once all doubts have been set aside. Besides, I have introduced an amendment in the State Duma designed to protect witnesses.

SPIEGEL: Prosecutor General (Yuri) Chaika believes that the men behind the murder are abroad. Do you agree?

Lebedev: Just as in the Soviet days, other countries are once again being treated as a sinister threat. I haven't seen the evidence he supposedly has. Facts are important to me, not emotions. I would caution against speculation.

SPIEGEL: Chaika has pointed his finger at former oligarch Boris Berezovsky.

Lebedev: It seems to be in fashion among Russian politicians to blame Berezovsky for everything. Soon they'll be holding him responsible for global warming, earthquakes and tsunamis. But perhaps the prosecutor general wasn't even referring to him.

(Continued here.)