The deputies from People’s Assembly of Ingushetia have found someone to blame for the restless situation that has been stayed lately in the republic. The parliamentarians have published a statement saying that the Ren TV station and its journalists “do not promote stabilization of the political situation in the region”. Last week a series of reportages, dedicated to the republic, started on the TV channel, being titled “Reporter’s stories”. The angry deputies note that the nature of the coverage of the events going on in the republic causes “strong indignation” with them. Feeling not to be able to stand it anymore the deputies required the chair of the Council of Federation, chair of the Duma, Prosecutor General, FSB director and interior minister put a ban on broadcasting by this TV station in the region.          

Marianna Maximovskaya, the host of the analytical program “Nedelya” on Ren TV told to a Novaya Gazeta correspondent: “The journalists are doing their job. When something that they tell about is a lie or distortion of the facts, they usually are held responsible in accordance with the law procedure. I would understand such an attempt of holding us responsible. And their appeal is addressed not to us but to the country’s leadership. I cannot comprehend such an approach”. 

“We shot everything what has happened on the Ingush territory lately” told Dmitry Yasminov, a journalist of Ren TV to a Novaya Gazeta correspondent. “It’s silly to accuse us of falsification of the video materials, as it’s not actors playing there”.  

In the mean time, the State Duma that considered the question of closing down Ren TV broadcasting in Ingushetia has decided not to interfere in the conflict. “Ingushetia is part of the Federation and Ren TV is a federal TV station. There is no grounding for broadcasting by it to be banned” said Boris Reznik, deputy chair of the Duma’s Panel for informational policy, technologies and communications.   

As for the question of safety for the journalists working on the republic’s territory, it’s left open.