BBG Watch has learned that a group of younger Russian opposition leaders is working on a statement in support of Radio Liberty Russian Service journalists who were fired on orders of former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty president Steven Korn.
A statement of solidarity with the fired Radio Liberty team and a call for their return to the station is now being discussed by leaders representing new, younger opposition in Russia which went to the streets last year following forged parliamentary and presidential elections, sources told BBG Watch.
Younger opposition activists share the view of older leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev and Lyudmila Alexeeva that the Russian Service of Radio Liberty has changed its programming policy and no longer fulfills its mission of supporting democracy in Russia. They also say that Radio Liberty ceased to be a platform for discussion between representatives of the oppostion and the authorities.
Newly-appointed RFE/RL president Kevin Klose plans to meet next week in Moscow with Russian human rights activists and democratic political leaders and with a delegation of fired Radio Liberty journalists in an attempt to resolve the crisis.