The Special Rapporteur reiterates the call to all States to decriminalize defamation. Additionally, he underscores that protection of national security or countering terrorism cannot be used to justify restricting the right to expression unless it can be demonstrated that: (a) the expression is intended to incite imminent violence; (b) it is likely to incite such violence; and (c) there is a direct and immediate connection between the expression and the likelihood or occurrence of such violence.

The post UN rapporteur calls for end to criminal defamation laws appeared first on Index on Censorship.

In the Ren-TV production Troitsky referred to Samoulav as a “trained poodle for Surkov”. Surkov is Vladislav Surkov, once Putin’s chief strategist, now the Kremlin’s deputy Chief of Staff and a polarising figure in Russian politics. Unusually for a political idealogue, he has also written two albums for Samoylov’s band Agata Kristi.

When Samoylov filed suit Troitsky was already facing two other libel trials, civil and criminal. He was being sued for slandering a police officer who was the first official on the scene of a controversial car crash when an oil executive’s vehicle collided with car carrying two women who were killed in the incident. During a November concert by the rock band DDT, Troitsky awarded the officer a “prize” for being one the countries worst police officers. The officer’s daughter was in the audience. In April he was ordered to pay 130,000 roubles compensation to the policeman. The criminal trial is still pending.

Troitsky views the cases as a coordinated attempt by the Kremlin to “tame him”. He told Index he believes the authorities are attempting to “teach other journalists and public figures a lesson, don’t open your mouth, don’t be brave or outspoken.”

Rock promoter Peter Jenner, who has managed Pink Floyd, T Rex, Ian Dury, The Clash and now manages Billy Bragg describes Troitsky as Russia’s answer to John Peel.

Art’s always been fearless, it’s a miracle he survived the Soviet Union. It’s astonishing he now finds himself a political pawn in the new Russia.

Index on Censorship’s chief executive, John Kampfner said: “Art Troitsky is a great iconoclast and fearless cultural critic. One can only surmise that the authorities, who have wanted to silence him for some time, are applying the same logic to him as they did to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who now languishes in jail. They authorities intimidated the business community, now they seek to do the same with the arts”

The post The dangers of satire appeared first on Index on Censorship.