CONCLUSION

Given that the presidential race has been so close, either winner may be tempted to crack down on the press in order to control opposition to his rule. Already Zyuganov is filing formal complaints with the Central Electoral Commission about unfair media coverage and lack of television access, and revenge will certainly be on his mind if he loses. Fending off angry charges of election fraud, Yeltsin may be inclined to limit coverage of the Communist opposition on television or temporarily close Communist newspapers as he did after suppressing the 1993 parliamentary rebellion. Since then, faced with an even more contentious parliament and an unending war in Chechnya, Yeltsin has strengthened the president's security apparatus and allowed the FSB, Interior Ministry and military to harass journalists unchecked. Meanwhile, investigations have languished or have not even been started on 13 assassinations--sending a grim signal to would-be assassins dissatisfied with journalists' work.

CPJ urges the Russian government to fully investigate the murders and disappearances of the following journalists, and to bring the perpetrators of these crimes to justice.

MURDERED
Yuri Soltis, Interfax, June 12, 1994
Dmitry Kholodov, Moskovsky Komsomolets, Oct. 17, 1994
Viatcheslav Rudnev, Free-lancer, Feb. 17, 1995
Vladislav Listyev, Russian Public Television (ORT), March 1, 1995
Farkhad Kerimov, Associated Press, May 29, 1995
Natalya Alyakina, RUFA and Focus, June 17, 1995
Vadim Alferyev, Segodnyashnyaya, Dec. 27, 1995
Oleg Slabynko, Russian Television Channel 2, Jan. 25, 1996
Felix Solovyov, Free-lancer, Feb. 27, 1996
Viktor Pimenov, Vaynakh, March 11, 1996
Nadezhda Chaikova, Obshchaya Gazeta, March 30, 1996
Nina Yefimova, Vozrozhdeniye, May 8, 1996
Viktor Mikhailov, Zabaikalsky Rabochiy, May 12, 1996

MISSING
Maxim Shabalin, Nevskoye Vremya, last seen Feb. 27, 1995
Felix Titov, Nevskoye Vremya, last seen Feb. 27, 1995
Sergei Ivanov, Nevskoye Vremya, last seen June 16, 1995
Andrew Shumack, Free-lancer, last seen July 28, 1995