We, journalists and colleagues of Natalya Morar, a correspondent of the New Times magazine, demand that the leadership of the FSB ceases her anti-constitutional detention in the customs area of the Domodedovo airport, and opens the Russian border for her.

Natalya Morar did not commit any crimes on Russian territory, and she has not been presented with any charges. She has every legal basis to enter the territory of the Russian Federation [(RF)]. For several days now, Natalya Morar has been forbidden from crossing the Russian border, in an attempt to deport her to Moldova.

By persecuting Natalya Morar, Russian authorities are violating the laws of the RF as well as international law. For a great while, Natalya Morar and her husband Ilya Barabanov have been kept from eating, drinking and sleeping normally, which is a direct violation of article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and of articles on the right to life in the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

This whole time, her attorney has been kept from her, and this is a gross violation of parts 1 and 2 of article 48 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Natalya Morar has lived in Russia for more than 6 years. She completed the Moscow State University, she is registered to live in Moscow, and she has a work permit. Furthermore, she is a citizen of Moldova (with which Russia has visa-free travel), and the spouse of a Russian citizen, Ilya Barabanov. The actions of the FSB violate the requirements of the fundamental documents of the OSCE [(Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe)], which forbid the separation of families, and the RF federal law “On foreigners.”

We are convinced, that the reasons for Natalya Morar’s deportation are political, and connected with her professional activities. Morar’s persecution began after her publication of courageous investigative reporting in the New Times magazine –“Bureaucrats are Diverting Money to the West,” “A lifetime ‘Discount’” [a Moscow bank], “Payment for Loyalty,” “VTSIOM 2,” “The Black Till of the Kremlin.”

We are convinced, that the FSB is using clause 1 of article 27 of the law “On the procedure for departing the RF and the procedure for entering the RF,” to carry out political censorship. We believe that by answering journalistic investigations with these measures, Russian authorities, as represented by the FSB and president Vladimir Putin personally are signing off on confessionary statements to all the facts of corruption laid bare by Morar’s articles.

We demand that the Federal Border Service of the FSB RF cease its blatant violation of the law, and admit Natalya Morar onto the territory of the Russian Federation. We likewise demand that Russian authorities publicly name the reason for Natalya Morar’s deportation.

Yulia Galyamina, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Alexei Sochnev, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Anton Semikin, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Yuriy Gladish, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Natalya Volosnikova, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Olga Malysh, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Ksenya Firsova, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Stanislav Yakovlev, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Tatyana Kashintseva, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Olga Bogun, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Vladimir Tsybulskiy, journalist (Kasparov.ru)
Andrei Dmitriev, (APN-CPB (http://www.apn-spb.ru/))
Andrei Skovorodnikov, journalist (Krasnoyarskaya Gazeta)
Yekaterina Fatyanova, journalist (Ej.ru)
Aleksandr Golts, journalist (Ej.ru)
Olga Pashkova, journalist (Ej.ru)
Yekaterina Shmelkova, journalist (Ej.ru)
Svetlana Solodovnik, journalist (Ej.ru)
Maria Kamenskaya, journalist (Ej.ru)
Aleksandr Ryklin, journalist (Ej.ru)
Maria Olendskaya, journalist (Ej.ru)
Maksim Blant (Matveychenkov), journalist (Ej.ru)
Vladimir Yermolin, journalist (Grani.ru)
Natella Boltyanskaya (Ekho Moskvy)
Rimma Polyak, independent journalist, Moscow
Mikhail Fishman, journalist
Yuliya Kukushkina, OK! Magazine
Irina Borogan, “Agentura.ru”
Andrei Soldatov, “Agentura.ru”
Varvara Turova, journalist
Ilia Ekchtout, P.Eng
Alexander Samartsev, journalist

(translated by theotherussia.org)

According to the agency head, the FMS was not responsible or involved in Morar’s expulsion, and does not have authority over such matters. Romodanovsky bowed to other branches of the government, and indicated that such jurisdiction is reserved for the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Morar, who was turned away from a Moscow airport on December 16th, held documents issued by the FMS, including official registration papers and permission to work in Russia. She resides and works in Moscow, and received a diploma from Moscow State University. On her way back from a business trip to Israel, Morar was forced to return to her native Moldova.

Romodanovsky was unwilling to comment on the decision of his colleagues, but did not defend the FSB’s move. He told journalists: “Surely you can read between the lines and listen between the words.”

The Russian embassy in Moldova was also unaware of any official reason for deporting Morar. Like Romodanovsky, they learned about the incident from the mass-media, and commented that all of Morar’s papers were in order.

The journalist’s colleagues believe that she was pushed out for her investigative writing in the magazine, which put a magnifying glass to corruption among Russia’s bureaucracy and elite. Her most recent article described a “slush fund” used by the Kremlin to fund and control most of the political parties involved in the December 2nd State Duma elections.

The Other Russia released a statement denouncing the expulsion, and called on the Prosecutor General’s Office as well as the Central Electoral Commission to launch an investigation.