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Aksana Panova

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Aksana Panova is a Russian journalist, most known for leading the news sites Ura.ru and Znak.com [ru]. She also served as campaign manager for Yevgeny Roizman's successful opposition campaign for Mayor of Yekaterinburg in 2013.[1][2]

Biography

Ura.ru

Panova launched Ura.ru as an independent news website in 2006.[3]

2012-14 trial

In 2006 and 2007, she led an investigation into businessman Konstantin Kremko for Ura.ru. In 2012, Kremko accused her of having extorted a bribe out of him.[4][5]

In July 2013, she pleaded guilty to tax evasion, stating that she had withdrawn $400 000 from Ura.ru's bank accounts and transferred them to accounts set up for non-existent companies with the goal of paying staff salaries without having to pay welfare taxes.[6] In December 2013, the court dismissed one of the charges against her.[7]

In 2014, the court found her guilty of extortion, handing down a two-year suspended sentence, including a 400 000 rubles fine and being banned from conducting journalism for two years.[8]

The trial was met with widespread controversy among journalists and human rights groups, with several saying that it represented a crackdown on investigative journalism in Russia.[9][10] OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović stated that the trial "marks a worrying trend for free media in Russia and can stifle critical speech in the country."[11]

Znak.com

Panova founded Znak.com in December 2012.[12][13]

Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Znak.com announced that it would be suspending its operations "due to a large number of restrictions that have recently been imposed on the work of media outlets in Russia."[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ Latynina, Yulia (17 September 2013). "How Yevgeny Roizman Became Mayor". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  2. ^ MacKinnon, Mark (16 January 2014). "Meet the Russian mayor who beat Putin's political machine". Theglobeandmail.com. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Portrait of Aksana Panova | Reporters without borders". Rsf.org. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Ura.ru Ex-Chief Faces Further Questioning". The Moscow Times. 27 December 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Doc Zone: Crime and punishment in Vladimir Putin's Russia". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Russian website editor pleads guilty to tax crimes, denies extortion". UPI. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  7. ^ "One Charge Against Panova Dropped, 3 More Remain". The Moscow Times. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  8. ^ "Аксана Панова приговорена к условному сроку и штрафу". BBC News. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  9. ^ "Experts question court ruling banning journalist from working". Rbth.com. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  10. ^ "Critics Slam Ban on Working in Journalism as Gag Tool". The Moscow Times. 14 January 2014.
  11. ^ "OSCE media freedom representative concerned about conviction of Russian journalist, calls to lift ban on prohibition from working". Osce.org.
  12. ^ "Head of Russian news web site faces prison". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  13. ^ "Ad campaign promoting Russian constitution 'censored'". Observers.france24.com. 8 February 2013.
  14. ^ "Russian online media outlet Znak.com announces closure". Interfax.com. 4 March 2022. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
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