The RussianJudicial Chamber on Media Complaints has charged Moskovskayapravda with violating media laws for false reporting abouta Duma deputy, Russian radio reported July 18. The chamber saidthat the paper had reported without evidence that a Duma memberhad used his parliamentary immunity to engage in criminal... MORE

A Russian policemanbeat up BNS correspondent Peter Netreba even after the journalistshowed his press pass and foreign correspondent license plates,Kommersant-Daily reported July 18. The attack came in frontof the Dutch embassy in Moscow. Russia to Report on Its Human Rights Record.

Russian justiceminister Valentin Kovalev led a delegation to Geneva to reporton Moscow's compliance with the International Pact on Civil andPolitical Rights that Russia signed earlier. Kovalev told Itar-TassJuly 17 that "nothing would be concealed, including the Chechenproblem." Central Crime Lab Reorganized into Destruction.

Yeltsin aide Georgi Satarov told the July 15Segodnya that the "union of the old and new politicalelites already exists. Who do you think Chernomyrdin is? Or Yeltsin,for that matter? True, the word 'union' is a bit of a misnomer;things go much deeper. The fact is... MORE

In an obvious effort to intimidate thosewho believe Russia's upcoming elections may be beset by fraud,Russia's Central Election Commission said that it has evidenceof links between the new election monitoring group, "ForFair Elections," and an unnamed foreign embassy, Interfaxreported July 18. The CEC said it... MORE

According to a poll published in the July 18 Kommersant-Daily,only 30 percent of Russians have a clear preference for aparticular political party, and 50 percent say they will not votefor any currently existing political party. Such attitudes, thepaper suggested, could "pave the way for a... MORE

As the Constitutional Courtcompleted its final days of hearings on the legality of BorisYeltsin's order to dispatch troops to Chechnya, supporters ofYeltsin's position predicted that the court would rule in thepresident's favor, while opponents warned that such a "purelypolitical decision" would promote authoritarianism in Russia,Russian... MORE

Gen. Vladimir Zhurbenko told a Duma hearing that Moscow "couldexpect certain compensation" if it ratified the arms controlaccord and put it into practice more quickly than was required,Interfax reported July 18. 50 Percent of Russians Won't Vote for Any Political Party.

Even as Russianforeign minister Andrei Kozyrev met with NATO officials to expandlinks between the Western alliance and Russia, an unnamed seniorRussian diplomat told Interfax July 18 that this cooperation doesnot mean that Russia will accept any expansion of the allianceeastward. "If NATO goes ahead with... MORE

In preparation for his speechto the Russian parliament July 19, Premier Viktor Chernomyrdintold Kommersant (no. 26) that he believed that his governmenthad made enormous progress in turning the Russian economy around.And he suggested that questions about his and the government'slack of popularity now reflected this... MORE