MOSCOW — Roman Romanenko, a journalist, publisher, and charity activist in Russia’s northwestern Vologda region, had long suspected authorities of lacking a sense of humor. But he’s still in disbelief at the backlash sparked by a joke he pulled in March when he called on the Kremlin to send troops to liberate Russian-speakers from corrupt officials in his region. It was a not-so-subtle reference to President Vladimir Putin’s decision to deploy troops to Crimea, which Russia has since annexed from Ukraine.

Romanenko’s March 4 letter, which he posted on his Facebook page, has already earned him two interrogations by prosecutors, who are mulling pressing extremism charges against him.

The door of his apartment has been daubed with a swastika and leaflets have been stuffed in his neighbors’ letterboxes branding him a «scum» and a «Ukrainian Jew.»

Now, the medical charity that he runs is under threat.

On April 4, exactly one month after Romanenko penned his ill-fated letter, inspectors launched a spot check on the group, saying they suspected it of embezzlement and money laundering.

«We undergo mandatory audits and we’ve never received any complaints,» he told RFE/RL. «I believe these actions aim to damage the group’s reputation, because people think that if it’s being inspected then there must be grounds for suspicion.»

Romanenko’s charity, «Good People,» cares for critically ill patients in the Vologda region.

The Plight Of Russia’s Terminally Ill

He says the organization fills a vital healthcare gap and fears its closure will deprive many patients of life-saving financial and moral support.

«There are many bed-ridden patients, including cancer patients, who are completely alone with their diseases,» he says. «People still contact us, and we are continuing to pay for medicine or treatment. But I’m very concerned about the group’s future.»

Anti-Corruption Crusader

Romanenko suspects regional governor Oleg Kuvshinnikov, the man who ordered the probe against him, of using the letter as a pretext to settle old scores.

The journalist, who has not balked at denouncing official corruption in his newspaper, «Premier,» has long targeted the governor and his entourage.

«We’ve had a long-standing conflict, ever since we published several articles about how regional authorities spend money,» says Romanenko. «Although the Vologda region is severely strapped for cash, officials save money on everyone but themselves. After we wrote about them renovating and buying new furniture for their administrations I was told I’m now the governor’s enemy.»

Despite its playful tone, Romanenko’s plea to Putin, too, paints a damning picture of authorities in Vologda.

«Everyone here is a Russian speaker and our rights are severely violated,» the letter said.

«Our sick cannot get the medicine and treatment they need, the level of our education is decreasing every year, children’s clubs and interest groups are closing, agriculture has virtually been destroyed.»

Romanenko also asked that the money earmarked for Crimea be instead spent on medicine and education in the Vologda region.

The instant popularity of his letter, which went viral on the Russian Internet and has since generated similar jokes in a string of cities, suggests many Vologda residents share his view.

«We are suffering a lot,» Romanenko wrote to Putin.

«But the occupiers, who have seized power with the help of dishonest elections,» he added, «are not doing anything for the conquered people.»

Natalya Dzhanpoladova reported from Moscow. Claire Bigg reported and wrote from Prague

http://www.rferl.org/content/pressure-mounts-on-russian-journalist-over-crimea-prank/25328619.html

RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, Azattyq, reports that Kazakhstan’s media has new regulations it must follow in times of crisis. If the country finds itself in a state of emergency, experiencing moments of great uncertainty, when the people of the nation will most need news, media outlets will have to observe a break (or brake) on delivering information about what is happening. 

That is due to a new rule, made public at the start of April that sets new rules for publishing or broadcasting information after a state of emergency has been declared in Kazakhstan.

The new rules obligate owners of media outlets — print, radio, or television — to hand over texts of their reports to the local «komendatura,» the officials in charge of preserving order during a state of emergency, 24 hours before the reports are published or broadcast.

If those local authorities find problems in any reports they can halt the airing or publication of the report.

If the report is disseminated without approval and is found to be unsuitable, the komendatura can order the “offending” media outlet to suspend its activities.

It effectively gives state media a monopoly on the dissemination of information during an emergency situation.

Tamara Kaleeva, the head of Kazakhstan’s independent media rights organization Adil Soz, told Azattyq one reason for the new regulations provide a legal basis for preventing information from getting out about unrest in Kazakhstan.

She pointed out during the violence in the western Kazakh city of Zhanaozen in December 2011 that left 17 people dead, authorities had to justify shutting down media, suspending Internet access, and cutting off mobile phone service.

Kaleeva also said the new rules are a response to recent events in Ukraine, where three months of protests led to the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych.

Learning The Wrong Lessons

That is the classic reaction of Central Asian governments to unrest nearby, certainly to social upheaval in the CIS.

When neighboring governments experience social unrest, Central Asian governments traditionally do not look at the roots of the problems — social inequality, unemployment, state corruption — and seek to cure these deficiencies in their own countries.

Instead, the Central Asian governments try to determine which legislative gaps and security slip-ups allowed social unrest to start. Then they take measures to ensure the same “mistakes” cannot be repeated in their countries.

Just look at any of the major unrest in Kyrgyzstan in the last 10 years and then look at the new amendments, rules, and regulations passed in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan in the weeks that followed. New restrictions are placed on freedom of assembly, freedom of speech and more authority is given to law enforcement agencies, among other changes.

On that note, Kazakhstan is not the only Central Asian country to have acted in the wake of events in Ukraine.

RFE/RL’s Tajik Service, Radio Ozodi, reported at the start of March that a new rule went into effect in the Tajik capital Dushanbe.

Officials went in search of people who had spare tires at their homes (besides the one spare tire every car should have). Those possessing old spare tires, or a suspicious number of spare tires, were ordered to take the tires to an area 40 kilometers outside the capital and leave them there.

No Maidan bonfire in Dushanbe.

— Bruce Pannier. Kazis Toguzbaev and Assem Tokaeva of RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service and Salimjon Aioubov and Tohir Safarov of RFE/RL’s Tajik Service helped in the preparation of this report.