Kalyapin: authors of NTV report about kidnappings in Chechnya knew that it could be banned

The reason why the report on investigating criminal cases and kidnappings in the Chechen Republic was taken away from the NTV broadcasting in Moscow is the intention to silence the inefficiency of Chechen law enforcers, said Igor Kalyapin, the chairman of the organization "Committee against Torture".

Let us remind you that the report about the work of the united mobile group of human rights defenders in Chechnya, and about the case of the kidnapped Islam Umarpashaev was scheduled to be put on air on October 30 on the NTV Channel in the programme "Central Television". However, the report was broadcast only in the areas of Far East and the Urals; then, it was withdrawn from broadcasting in the western part of Russia.

Two hours before the pre-scheduled broadcast, Igor Kalyapin received an SMS-message from one of the authors of the report. "The story about kidnappings was shown only on the Far-Eastern orbit. Then, it was taken away. Unfortunately, we've lost. In the Moscow programme, they will have a hole some 10 minutes long. Everyone will notice it. However, the report can be viewed on the Internet. It can be downloaded and posted on various social networks. Now, you can tell everyone about it. Thank you. The main thing is that you should not keep silent. The video is available - so, use it. We can't comment, but you are perfectly free," Mr Kalyapin quoted the message to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The report about kidnappings in Chechnya has been removed from the air because of the need to update it, said Maria Bezborodova, the press secretary of the NTV Channel. "The report was shown for the Far East; then, the top managers of the TV Channel decided to send it back for revision, verification and clarification of facts. It is common practice in the information edition, which is a registered mass medium," said Maria Bezborodova.

Meanwhile, according to Igor Kalyapin, talking about any shortcomings of the video report is "not serious", because the story had been corrected several times; and "the most acute moments" were cut out.

Igor Kalyapin has been warned by NTV journalists that the report could be removed from the air. "The report was twice rescheduled for other dates," said the chairman of the "Committee against Torture". "The decision to show the report on October 30 was made by its authors with the words: 'We take the risk to screen it. While it is on the orbits from Khabarovsk to the Urals, nobody will do anything with it; but as soon as it reaches the Moscow's broadcasting schedule, it will most probably be taken away.'."

The TV journalists who made the report were in great danger. "The report has an episode from the Shali and Oktiabr ROVDs (District Interior Divisions), showing a conversation with a boss from the latter ROVD. It was quite easy for him to punch a journalist to death for any wrong word," said Kalyapin.

In his opinion, the reason of cancelling the report was in the problem, which the authorities try to ignore.

"The point is not even about kidnappings in Chechnya, but about the people, whose duties are to investigate these crimes. The people equipped with uniform, firearms and powers are themselves violating the law: the most horrible crimes are committed by law enforcers themselves; and they are committed with the aim to simulate the efficient war on terrorism", said Igor Kalyapin.