Russia Must Protect Press Freedom

 

The Russian government continues to stifle¹ press freedom and media independence.

The U.S., said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, “condemn(s) the selective targeting of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, or(RFE/RL), and Voice of America, or (VOA), under Russia's law on ‘foreign agent' media outlets².”

RFE/RL and VOA remain the only media outlets designated under this law, which exacerbates³ long-standing restrictions⁴ on their distribution in Russia. Moreover, on July 3 the State Duma took another step toward approving legislation that would extend the “foreign agent” designation from media outlets to individual persons taking part in the creation of materials for media outlets. This bill, warned Ms. Nauert, “could provide the Russian government a new tool to target independent journalists and bloggers in retaliation⁵ for their work.”

John Lansing, the CEO and Director of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, expressed grave concern over the attack on RFE/RL and VOA.

The new Russian law, he said, “is clearly a political attack on an influential⁶ U.S. institution and an attempt to discredit⁷ the accurate, reliable news we provide to Russian audiences every day.”

Moreover, he said, this law “wrongfully stigmatizes⁸ our journalists and puts them at risk.”

The United States again calls on the Russian government to uphold its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and its obligations under the International Covenant⁹ on Civil and Political rights to respect the exercise of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression, in Russia.

The “targeted campaign against RFE/RL and VOA, is worrying and unacceptable,” declared Mr. Lansing, “but it will not deter¹⁰ us from our mission to inform and engage people — in Russia and around the world — in support of freedom and democracy.”

1 stifle   

vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止

参考例句：

• She tried hard to stifle her laughter.她强忍住笑。
• It was an uninteresting conversation and I had to stifle a yawn.那是一次枯燥无味的交谈，我不得不强忍住自己的呵欠。

2 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 exacerbates   

n.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的名词复数 )v.使恶化，使加重( exacerbate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Stripping the land in these ways allows faster surface runoff and exacerbates flooding. 这些做法终将使土地裸露、地表径流加快，从而加重了洪水的威胁。 来自辞典例句
• This policy exacerbates the gap between rich and poor. 这项政策加剧了贫富差距。 来自互联网

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

7 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

8 stigmatizes   

v.使受耻辱，指责，污辱( stigmatize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

9 covenant   

n.盟约，契约；v.订盟约

参考例句：

• They refused to covenant with my father for the property.他们不愿与我父亲订立财产契约。
• The money was given to us by deed of covenant.这笔钱是根据契约书付给我们的。

10 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。