MOSCOW, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Local Russian officials have bullied groups protesting rights violations linked to the Sochi Olympics, Human Rights Watch alleged Tuesday.
In a statement issued six months before the start of the Games, the international rights organization urged the International Olympic Committee to take action against Russia for what HRW said a "clear violation" of Olympic principles promoting press freedom.
Since 2008, HRW said it had talked to editors, bloggers and staff at news services who had been threatened and harassed for reporting violations or concerns about the Olympics or other issues. Criminal charges were brought against two journalists and the general director of a newspaper.
Some journalists said they were pressured to report only in a "positive" manner about events surrounding the Sochi Olympics.
"Press freedom is a central tenet of the Olympic Charter and no successful Games can take place in an atmosphere in which journalists are afraid to report on stories of legitimate public interest," said Jane Buchanan, HRW's associate director for Europe and Central Asia. "The IOC should insist that the Russian authorities guarantee full media freedom for each and every journalist reporting in or traveling to Sochi."
