"Over 6,000 lawsuits were filed against newspapers and journalists in 2004. This number exceeds the aggregate amount of such suits in other countries," he noted.
According to Gutiontov, this index reflects not the lack of competence or corruption of Russian media but the level of pressure on the press through courts.
Over 300 journalists were killed over the last 15 years and most crimes were not solved, he stressed.
"I would not compare Russia with Bangladesh, this is stupid. But over 300 journalists were killed in Russia over the last 15 years. This is a terrible number," Gutiontov emphasized.
On Tuesday, the international committee for the protection of journalists reported that the Philippines, Iraq, Colombia, Bangladesh and Russia were the most dangerous countries for journalists.
