Moscow, February 17, INTERFAX
Sergei Yastrzhembsky, assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, claims that Radio Liberty has taken advantage of the case of its Chechnya correspondent Andrei Babitsky, "to boost its trademark". Sergei Yastrzhembsky described as "incorrect" most of what Radio Liberty official had to say about Andrei Babitsky. "They aired a lot of disinformation and put about various incredible stories surrounding Babitsky", said he in an interview with the newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets.
In the opinion of presidential aide Radio Liberty "has long hit on bad times" and "its relevance has been diminishing with every passing year". So, thinks Sergei Yastrzhembsky, the management of the Radio station has used the situation surrounding Andrei Babitsky "to the maximum degree in order to prove its worth to its paymasters".

Moscow. February 15, INTERFAX
Sergei Yastrzhembsky said that the special services get information about the fate of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky by intercepting radio messages and from agents. "One thing is clear. Andrei Babitsky is alive and well," said the presidential aide.

Moscow, February 11 (INTAR TASS)
Replying to questions about Andrei Babitsky Sergei Yastrzhembsky said that he (Babitsky) has "himself chosen the place and the people with whom he now is". "This is borne out by documents contained in his criminal case." And more:
"We have kept secret some circumstances of the operation to release two Russian servicemen by exchanging them for Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky until we get two more officers, Lieutenant Alexander Kazantsev and Captain Third Rank Andrei Ostanitsa"; "on February 5 that operation those agreements were carried through"; "we did not tell you that two officers were to be released until certain conditions had been met."

Moscow, February 10 (INTERFAX)
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky confirmed that Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky is alive and well citing intercepted radio messages. Sergei Yastrzhembsky told a press briefing in Moscow that there were circumstances which for various reasons prevented him from answering questions about the fate of Andrei Babitsky. At present, the Interior Ministry is investigating the circumstances of the exchange of the journalist for Russian servicemen as well as his whereabouts.

Moscow, February 7, INTERFAX
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky said he does not know anything about the fate of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky who was recently traded for two Russian servicemen.
Sergei Yastrzhembsky told a press conference in Moscow that he too was "extremely interested in this question" and that every effort is being made to find out the journalist's whereabouts.
Asked whether Vladimir Putin was informed about the situation surrounding Andrei Babitsky, Putin's aide replied that "the acting president is in the know". Sergei Yastrzhembsky also stressed that Andrei Babitsky had been exchanged for Russian servicemen "with the consent of the Prosecutor General's Office and the Interior Ministry".

Moscow, February 3, (ITAR TASS correspondent)
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky said that Radio Liberty Correspondent Andrei Babitsky was today exchanged for three servicemen held captive by the Chechen militants. According to his data, as of 15:05 Moscow time, the exchange took place at a crossing of the roads between Argun and Shali. The servicemen handed over to the Russian side were: Zavarzin, Dmitriev and Vasiliev.
Sergei Yastrzhembsky said he had a statement by Babitsky himself and by one of the field commanders, Said Usa Khodzhaev, from the unit formerly led by field commander Israpilov. Sergei Yastrzhembsky stressed that the initiative of the exchange came from the militants. On January 30, according to the acting president's aide, the federal forces were approached by the militants with an offer to "release from jail our friend, journalist Babitsky who stood shoulder to shoulder with us defending the interests of the Chechen people." And the appeal goes on: "the fact that Andrei is in jail is an injustice". I am ready to exchange Andrei for Russian servicemen whom we are holding prisoner. I urge you to treat Andrei in a humane way and we guarantee to treat your servicemen likewise."
Sergei Yastrzhembsky also cited the text of a statement by Babitsky made on January 31: "Wishing to assist the commission for the liberation of forcibly detained servicemen I agree to be exchanged for Russian servicemen with the mediation of Chechen field commander Turpal Ali Atgeriev. I want to stress that my decision has been prompted by a sincere desire to help the prisoners of war. For my part being aware of the humanitarian nature of the work of the commission I undertake not to do anything that would blemish its reputation. I am sure that Turpal Ali will not undertake such actions and his proposals are also prompted by humanitarian considerations." "It came as a surprise to us too," stressed Sergei Yastrzhembsky. He said it was not yet known whether the correspondent consulted with his lawyer.

Moscow. February 3. INTERFAX
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky told INTERFAX that the servicemen in the federal forces, Nikolai Zavarzin, was released from Chechen captivity before two Russian servicemen were exchanged for Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky. Sergei Yastrzhembsky clarified that Andrei Babitsky was himself exchanged for two servicemen, Dmitriev and Vasilyev.
According to Sergei Yastrzhembsky the exchange was filmed on a video which was delivered to Moscow and then made available to the mass media.

Moscow. February 3 INTERFAX
At around 15:05 Moscow time on Thursday Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky earlier detained by the federal forces as he was coming out of Grozny was handed over to the Chechen side in exchange for three servicemen of the federal troops at an intersection between Argun and Shali, presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky told journalists.
In this conenction, noted Sergei Yastrzhembsky, the federal authorities were no longer responsible for the fate of Andrei Babitsky.

Moscow. February 1 (ITAR TASS)
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky told newsmen that the state of Andrei Babitsky's health has not deteriorated. According to Sergei Yastrzhembsky, Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky was given the right to invite a lawyer and was allowed to use the services of an eye doctor.
He recalled that on February 27 acting Public Prosecutor of Chechnya issued a warrant for the arrest of the journalist for 10 days and "the services of a lawyer were offered to him precisely at that moment." "Such aid was not offered earlier, but then there was no arrest warrant," said Sergei Yastrzhembsky explaining that initially Andrei Babitsky was detained for the purpose of identification.

Moscow, January 31 (ITAR TASS)
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky said: "Acting Prosecutor General of Russia, Vladimir Ustinov will go to the North Caucasus tomorrow to look into the case of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky and will probably make a correspondent decision on the spot."
According to Sergei Yastrzhembsky, Andrei Babitsky was brought to a detention centre of Chernokozovo in the Naurski district in Chechnya. Sergei Yastrzhembsky said Andrei Babitsky was detained in the outskirts of Grozny by federal servicemen because he had no permit to be in the location of military units engaged in liberating Grozny from terrorists.
"It is not about the accreditation of a journalist, but a permit to be in the location of the military unit,""the assistant to acting president noted. "On the same day, as a person without fixed abode under presidential decree No. 1815 of November 2, 1993 and with the sanction of the Prosecutor of the Naurski district of Chechnya Babitsky was placed in a detention center for ten days to establish his identity," said Sergei Yastrzhembsky.
He also reported that acting Prosecutor of Chechnya had arrested Andrei Babitsky on January 27, in accordance with Article 90 of the Criminal Procedural Code of the RSFSR on suspicion of having committed crimes under Article 208, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. "Participation in Illegal Armed Units".
On January 29 during interrogation as a suspect Andrei Babitsky is quoted as saying by Sergei Yastrzhembsky that "he came to Grozny as a correspondent of Radio Liberty, but had no accreditation with the press center of the Joint Federal Forces and was in Grozny and worked at the headquarters of field commander Khutayev. In the city he was escorted and guarded by "Khutayev's people".
Sergei Yastrzhembsky said that in Khutayev's headquarters Babitsky met with the commander of South Western Front, Gelayev and Ismailov who commanded the defence of Grozny. Liberty correspondent filmed terrorists who were fighting the forces in Grozny. The detainee himself said he was not personally involved in the fighting and entered the positions of the federal forces in order to leave Grozny disguised as a refugee. He had left his videocamera and a satellite phone at the headquarters of the field commander Khutayev, said Sergei Yastrzhembsky.

Moscow. January 30 (ITAR TASS correspondent)
Presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky said that the Chief of the Prosecutor General's Office Main Directorate for the North Caucasus, Yuri Biryukov, had left for Chechnya at the initiative of acting president of Russia Vladimir Putin. His task was to promptly verify all the circumstances, including the legitimacy of the detention of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky in Chechnya. Further steps with regard to Babitsky would depend on the results of the report...
According to Sergei Yastrzhembsky so far it is clear that Babitsky was there without any documents that would enable him to use the accreditations accepted in Moscow and legalizing the position of both Russian and foreign correspondents on the territory of the Chechen Republic.
All the other details, said Sergei Yastrzhembsky will be made public soon.

Moscow, January 29, INTERFAX
Sergei Yastrzhembsky stressed in an interview with ORT TV company that the question of the fate of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky was held under review of the federal authorities. According to Sergei Yastrzhembsky it is already clear that at the time he as detained the journalists did not have the documents that were required under the accreditation procedure. The presidential aide thinks that this case could not warrant the conclusion that "the window of opportunity" to cover events in Chechnya was closed.

Moscow. January 27 INTERFAX
Sergei Yastrzhembsky noted that he had no information about the fate of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky reported missing in Chechnya.

Moscow. January 26, (ITAR TASS correspondent)
Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky was not issued accreditation by us and security guarantees were not offered or provided for him, presidential aide Sergei Yastrzhembsky told journalists today. According to his information the journalist "came out of Grozny and disappeared".

Moscow, February 18. INTERFAX
First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Valeri Manilov has said that Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky is alive. "I do not have exact and confirmed information as to Babitsky's whereabouts," the general said. "But they report to me that he is alive and well."

Moscow. February 4. (ITAR TASS correspondent).
First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Valeri Manilov says that Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky has been released from detention and "handed over to where he wanted to be." According to Valeri Manilov, "it was not an exchange: the detained journalist was released from custody with the sanction of the Prosecutor's Office in consideration of the appeal of the leaders of illegal armed units and the fact that they have promised to release 3 servicemen they are holding hostage." "It was our sacred duty to take measures to secure the release of our guys," stressed Valeri Manilov noted that "we did not get 3 servicemen in exchange for Babitsky, we merely secured their release when this opportunity presented itself."
Commenting on Babitsky's decision, Valeri Manilov said that "it was of course a sad realization that one of our citizens preferred to be in the midst of the bandit units". "As a result, Andrei found himself in an environment he likes and we have secured the release of 3 people, junior sergeant Zavarzin (who was released as a precondition), sergeant Dmitriev and private Vasiliev," Valeri Manilov explained.

Moscow, February 4, INTERFAX
First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Valeri Manilov told a press-conference devoted to journalist Andrei Babitsky that "the army has nothing to do with his detention and has no right to be engaged in this affair."
"I think we have yet to find out how and within what framework the exchange (of Andrei Babitsky for Russian servicemen-IF) was carried out. We should look into it and establish the truth," said the General. Commenting on the fact that the journalist agreed to be exchanged for Russian servicemen Valeri Manilov said, "everything would have been fine and perhaps one could have been grateful (to the journalist - IF) and even consider decorating him but for the flip side of the matter as manifested in the fact that Andrei wanted to be among the militants." "So we are not talking about gratitude today," said the General Staff representative.

Moscow, February 4, INTERFAX
The Russian General Staff believes that the handover of Radio Liberty correspondent Andrei Babitsky to the Chechen side should not be described as an exchange.
Andrei Babitsky detained by the federal forces in Chechnya was later handed over to the Chechen side. In response the Chechens handed over to the Russian official representatives two servicemen who were held prisoner. According to the representatives of the federal authorities this was done pursuant to an application written by Andrei Babitsky and the proposals which came from the Chechen field commanders.
As First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Valeri Manilov told at a briefing in Moscow Andrei Babitsky "was released after signing a written pledge not to leave town with the sanction of the Prosecutor General's Office, whereupon, at the request of the chieftains of the bandit units he was handed over to them as a result of which the bandits released 3 soldiers. In the opinion of Manilov, "Andrei (Babitsky) found himself in an environment he liked. But in return our soldiers who were not prisoners of war but hostages gained freedom." Valeri Manilov said they "would have been released anyway sooner or later, but every opportunity should be used, including what happened to Andrei Babitsky."

Moscow. January 28 INTERFAX.
First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Valeri Manilov told a press conference in Moscow that "so far there is no information about Andrei Babitsky and it is not known whether he is being held by some of our agencies."
Valeri Manilov stressed that as soon as Andrei Babitsky is found, he would immediately receive assistance on the part of the federal forces.

The known circumstances under which Andrei Babitsky was detained, kept in custody and handed over to unidentified persons give grounds for asserting that in the case of journalist Andrei Babitsky the standards of Russian and international law have been crudely violated, the provisions of the country's Constitution have been flaunted and serious damage has been caused to the rights and freedoms of the country's citizens.

Moreover, the journalist has been totally denied his main civil right and guarantee to being treated lawfully, the right to defence. The journalist's lawyers are prevented from acquainting themselves with the materials of the case and evaluating the legitimacy of the official actions with regard to the journalist.

It means that in the case of Babitsky we are talking not about legitimate prosecution of a citizen, but of an attempt to make short shrift of him.

And Mr Yastrzhembsky together with Mr Manilov covered up all the violations of legality with regard to Babitsky thereby becoming complicit in them.

Messrs Yastrzhembsky and Manilov have themselves admitted that they were deliberately misleading the public: they claimed that the situation around the detention of the journalist would be settled normally within days thus covering up the operation of handing Babitsky over to unidentified persons.

One should also note the deliberate actions of Messrs Yastrzhembsky and Manilov aimed at tarnishing the reputation of journalist Andrei Babitsky. These gentlemen insist that the well known humanitarian and unselfish attitude of Andrei Babitsky to the problem of releasing hostages was proof that Andrei Babitsky was involved in the activities of the Chechen units. In the case of Mr Manilov attempts to discredit Andrei Babitsky are brazenly cynical. The actions of Sergei Yastrzhembsky and Valeri Manilov revealed at least the features of deeds stipulated under Article 293 (Negligence) and 316 (Covering up crimes) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In this connection the magazine has sent a petition to the Prosecutor General's Office that it consider the question of initiating a criminal case against Sergei Yastrzhembsky and Valeri Manilov.

We are well aware that the duties of Messrs Yastrzhembsky and Manilov consist in informing the public about the activities of executive power bodies in a favourable light.

We are aware that nothing but their own conscience (if any) can keep Messrs Yastrzhembsky and Manilov from seeking to cover up with lies information on concrete unseemly actions of officials or bodies of power.

But the situation when Messrs Yastrzhembsky and Manilov lie in order to cover up not just unseemly actions, but unlawful actions is no longer a matter to be left to their consciences, it is a criminal case. At least they are accomplices in unlawful actions and possibly in the future it may be established that these gentlemen have organized the actions.

You may see the contributions and your self-contribute to the debates in the hearings: Index/Censorship Dossier vs S.Yastzhembsky and V.Manilov