Independent newspaper sues president's security service

Narodnaya Volya newspaper and deputy editor-in-chief Maryna Koktysh have filed a lawsuit against the House of Representatives and the President’s Security Service. The journalists accuse these bodies of violating the media law.

Maryna Koktysh has been denied accreditation at the House of Representatives since the fall of 2007. In respond to Koktysh’s written application, the parliament’s press office cited an order from the president’s security service to deny accreditation.

The second letter from Kulakouski, the chairman of the House Committee on Media, Human Rights and National Relations, wrote that security on the territory of the administrative complex on Sovietskaya Street 11 where the government and the parliament are accommodated is maintained by the president’s security service.

After Narodnaya Volya received no answer from the president’s security service for two months, the newspaper decided to take a legal action.

Maryna Koktysh remains defiant. She said:

“Even if the security service dashes to respond to our letter and explains why I am banned entering the House of the Government, we will consider it our victory”.