Murmansk Roskomnadzor sent a warning to the newspaper Vecherny Murmansk for abusive language aimed at participants of the anti-corruption action. The journalist called the protesters 'riffraff', 'snotty-nosed' and 'fighting ...', referring to belonging to the LGBT community. This is evidenced by the response of Roskomnadzor, provided to the editorial office of «7x7» by one of the activists.
The Murmansk Supervisory Authority responded to the publication with obscene words in the printed version of Vecherny Murmansk (issue No. 51 of March 28, 2017). The same article posted on the newspaper's website did not cause dissatisfaction, since the site was not registered as a media outlet.
Officials replied that 'obscene vocabulary does not include words and expressions that are indecent and rude colloquialisms, used to offend, humiliate, point at sex, and social status. At the same time, the use of gross indecent words and expressions that offend public morality is unacceptable’.
In an interview with Novaya Gazeta, the head of the Murmansk Roskomnadzor Nikolai Proshkin said that there was no reason to issue an official warning from his department, and the letter to Vecherny Murmansk should be considered a "friendly warning".
Murmansk human rights activist Violetta Grudina, mentioned in the article and participated in the anti-corruption action on March 26, was not happy with the Roskomnadzor decision:
'This is a municipal newspaper, therefore, financed with our taxes. As this is the fourth such article about the protest in the region, then the authorities have nothing to answer except insults.'
In her opinion, the meaning of the article is to label protesters with foul language.
An article "Unbearably bored of being correct", signed by Dmitry Malyshev, appeared in Vecherny Murmansk right after the protest actions in Murmansk on March 26.
It begins with the words: 'Thank God, this obscurantism of the 21st century — political correctness — is not so rooted in Russia, but the echoes have come to us. Neither a traitor can be named a traitor, nor an unconcealed sell-out scum — a scum’. The author called a chapter about the participants of the protest action "Voluntary Idiots", mentioned some "political losers", "mad maidan cattle" and many representatives of the systemic and non-systemic opposition of Murmansk. Users of social networks shared this article more than 500 times. Malyshev rudely mentioned people likeminded with Grudina in other, earlier materials.
Murmansk authorities did not agree the anti-corruption action on March 26, but about 300 people still went to the people's assembly. One activist was detained for throwing sneakers on the pole.
Daniil Kuznetsov, «7x7»
