Russian journalists Leonid Mlechin and Maksim Shevchenko say that the professionalism of the journalist community in Russia should be improved, otherwise legislative initiatives, such as Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika’s recent proposal to forbid mentioning of criminals’ nationality in mass media, will be useless.
Mlechin believes that the nationality should only be mentioned if it makes any difference. Shevchenko notes that, when a crime has no relation to the ethnic, regional and religious background or political views of a criminal, mass media giving out the outlaw’s nationality link the crime with ethnic or religious background. The journalist reminded that “we do not repeat, for instance, here and there the ethnic origin of the murderer from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk who killed Orthodox Christians.”
Mlechin supposes that it would be appropriate to mention that a crime was committed by a foreigner if it is true, though there is no need to state the exact nationality. He adds that there is no need to back this idea up with any law, it is a question of professionalism. Shevchenko does not want to see such laws either and believes that the society can solve the domestic problems of the country by itself.
Russian journalists Leonid Mlechin and Maksim Shevchenko say that the professionalism of the journalist community in Russia should be improved, otherwise legislative initiatives, such as Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika’s recent proposal to forbid mentioning of criminals’ nationality in mass media, will be useless.Mlechin believes that the nationality should only be mentioned if it makes any difference. Shevchenko notes that, when a crime has no relation to the ethnic, regional and religious background or political views of a criminal, mass media giving out the outlaw’s nationality link the crime with ethnic or religious background. The journalist reminded that “we do not repeat, for instance, here and there the ethnic origin of the murderer from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk who killed Orthodox Christians.”Mlechin supposes that it would be appropriate to mention that a crime was committed by a foreigner if it is true, though there is no need to state the exact nationality. He adds that there is no need to back this idea up with any law, it is a question of professionalism. Shevchenko does not want to see such laws either and believes that the society can solve the domestic problems of the country by itself.
