The Freedom of the Press and Media in Russia

Russia has long lagged in recognizing freedom of the press. In the 19th century, the imperial regime’s extreme statism prevented true freedom of the press from being inscribed in its legal order. Authoritarian pro-Marxist trends hindered liberal development of the legal system in the 20th century. Only the events at the end of the last millennium, which reconfigured the country’s social structure, allowed Russia to adopt international standards on a large scale. This article seeks to analyze how freedom of the press has evolved in Russia over the recent decades and to assess where it currently stands.