Russian Journalists Seek Political Asylum

A Russian journalist has secured herself political asylum in the United States, The Sunday Times reported on March 11. The British newspaper did not give the journalist's name, but the description indicates to Fatima Tlisova, a journalist from the Caucasus. Ms. Tlisova, however, denies having any plans of fleeing the country.

The Sunday Times has written about a Russian journalist and a Caucasus region expert, who goes under the name of Maria Ivanova in the article, who is fleeing home after being promised political asylum in America.

Last October, an intruder broke into her flat while she was away. A few hours late she had a cup of coffee and went to bed. "I woke up in terrible pain early in the morning," the journalist told The Sunday Times. "There was practically no skin left on my mount, only bare flesh. My skin just started peeling off." Later, she was diagnosed with kidney failure. A month later the journalist became ill again and lost consciousness after drinking tea. She said she had no doubt that she was poisoned.

The description given in the paper resembles what happened to Fatima Tlisova, a journalist from Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria. Ms. Tlisova is an editor-in-chief for the North Caucasus at the Regnum news agency. In 2005 and 2006, Ms. Tlisova covered the militant raid on Nalchik in Russian and foreign media. The raid left 25 policemen, 12 civilians and 92 militants dead. Fatima Tlisova mentioned in her reports that the arrested militants were tortured. Later, the journalist was reported to be in hospital after a mysterious poisoning.

Fatima Tlisova, however, dismisses the reports. "I have nothing to do with the story or the article in The Sunday Times," she said in an interview with Kommersant. Employees at Regnum also reject the suggestions. Authorities in Kabardino-Balkaria say the do not know any local journalist seeking political asylum.

Meanwhile, human rights activists note that there are at least one hundred journalists in Russia who would have good reasons for fleeing the country.

Source: Kommersant