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Russia’s TV Cut Off in Estonia’s Prisons
The authorities of Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia, have recently cut off the air a few Russia’s TV channels, Postimees reported. The information was officially confirmed by Priit Kama, vice chancellor at Estonian Ministry of Justice.
According to Kama, the broadcasting of Russia’s channels was terminated due to the coverage of 2007 disorders triggered by the Bronze Soldier removal from downtown Tallinn. Russia’s channels were referring to the vandals as heroes, showing the policemen as criminals, Postimees specified. The prisoners shouldn’t watch the TV advocating offense or recusancy to authorities, Kama made clear.
Viewing the Bronze Soldier as a monument to Soviet occupation, Estonian government ordered past spring to remove the WW2 memorial from Tynismyagi square, central Tallinn, to a military cemetery in the city’s outskirts. That excavation led to the mass clashes between the police and a crowd of ethnic Russians and further clouded Russia’s relations with the Baltic state.
The rallies continued for a few days. Quite a few media in Russia covered them as an act of the people’s protest against the transfer of the soldiers’ remains and the monument.
On the other hand, the timing of order to cut off Russia’s TV gives rise to speculations. The broadcasting was terminated early in 2008, i.e. more than half a year after the actual clashes. Another secret is whether it was the initiative of the prisons’ authorities or the Ministry of Justice.
www.kommersant.com
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Photo: Sergey Mikheev
