Russian Journalist's Release Is Sought

Reporters Without Borders on Thursday called for the immediate release of journalist Andrei Novikov, an online reporter for Chechenpress, the news agency of the Chechen government in exile, who was arrested a year ago and has been held against his will in a psychiatric hospital since February 14. U.S. News recently wrote about his case.

Novikov, 41, is facing trial after being charged with "publicly inciting constitutional change by means of force," which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. The charge is based on two E-mail messages he sent to local newspapers.

"Novikov is the victim of practices contrary to the rule of law that still persist in Russia," Reporters Without Borders said. "It seems that the special services and psychiatrists are still empowered to take charge of anyone whose actions or words stray from what is the norm among Russian citizens."

Reporters Without Borders has been told that two doctors who were able to examine Novikov before he was admitted to the hospital found nothing psychologically wrong with him. However, a psychiatric commission that examined him in January claimed that he displayed "antisocial behavior" and "maladaptation." His father said a special commission that met November 14 concluded that there were no grounds for keeping him in a psychiatric hospital. This decision needed to be confirmed by a court and a hearing should have been held for this purpose before the end of that month, but no date was ever set.