meerkat1
03.09.09, 18:24
Redaktor fachowego internetowego pisma Sovfracht (zajmującego się
problemami handlu i transportu morskiego) zbiegł z Rosji do Turcji,
gdy jego zycie znalazlo sie w niebezpieczenstwie po opublikowaniu
przezeń artykułow sugerujących, ze frachtowiec "Arctic Sea" nie
został wcale porwany, i ze przewoził w istocie nie finskie drewno,
tylko nielegalną broń.
Michaił Wojtenko otrzymał ultimatum od, jak to okreslił, "poważnych
osób" (dając do zrozumienia że z FSB), iż albo opusci Moskwe, albo
zostanie aresztowany.
Dzwoniący poinformował rosyjskiego dziennikarza, ze osoby zwiazane z
aferą są rozgniewane jego publikacjami na jej temat i "mogą podjąć
przeciw niemu akcję".
"Jak długo jestem poza granicami Rosji -powiedzial BBC Michaił
Wojtenko - nie mogą mnie przynajmniej sprowadzić do Rosji i skazać."
Na jego miejscu, zważywszy antecedensy, nie byłym wcale pewien czy
to najgorsze, co może mu ze strony FSB grozić.
[BBC World Service:
A journalist has fled Russia after suggesting the Arctic Sea cargo
ship that was apparently hijacked in July may have been carrying
illegal weapons.
Mikhail Voitenko said he had been told to leave Moscow or face
arrest.
The editor of Sovfracht, an online maritime journal, fled on
Wednesday, saying he may not be able to return as his life would be
in danger.
Eight men, mainly from Estonia, have been charged with hijacking and
piracy over the case.
The men are suspected of seizing the ship and its 15-man Russian
crew after raiding it disguised as police.
The alleged hijackers were taken to Russia after the ship was
spotted 300 miles (480km) off the west coast of Africa on 16 August.
Secret shipment
Mr Voitenko - who was among the first to cast doubt on official
explanations about the ship's disappearance - told the BBC it was
nonsense to suggest pirates had been involved.
Eight men have been charged with hijacking and piracy over the case
Instead he suggested the ship may have been carrying a secret
shipment of weapons as part of a private business deal by state
officials.
Speaking to the BBC from Turkey, Mr Voitenko said he had received a
threatening phone call from "serious people" whom he suggested may
have been members of Russia's intelligence agency, the FSB.
The caller told Mr Voitenko that those involved in the mysterious
case of the Arctic Sea were very angry with him because he had
spoken publicly, and were planning on taking action against him, he
said.
"As long as I am out of Russia I feel safe," Mr Voitenko told the
BBC. "At least they won't be able to get me back to Russia and
convict [me]."
He also said Nato knew exactly what had happened to the Arctic Sea.
