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{{Short description|Italian journalist (1960–2000)}}
{{For|the football player|Antonio Russo (footballer)}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Antonio Russo
| name = Antonio Russo
| image =
| image = Antonio Russo.jpg
| birth_name =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1960|6|3}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1960|6|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Francavilla al Mare]], [[Italy]]
| birth_place = [[Francavilla al Mare]], [[Italy]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|10|16|1960|6|3|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|10|16|1960|6|3|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Tbilisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| death_place = [[Tbilisi]], [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]
| othername =
| othername =
| occupation = [[Reporter]], [[Radical Radio]]
| occupation = Reporter, [[Radical Radio]]
| Mother = Beatrice Russo
| mother = Beatrice Russo
| website =
| website =
}}
}}
:"''He risked his life against death, to tell the victims of war''"


'''Antonio Russo''' ([[Francavilla al Mare]], June 3, 1960 &ndash; [[Tbilisi]], October 16, 2000) ex [[Vice-President]] of the [[International Press Free lance]] (FLIP),<ref>{{cite news|last=Flip |title=Antonio Russo |url=http://www.flipnews.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4796:antonio-russo&Itemid=77 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615173744/http://www.flipnews.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4796:antonio-russo&Itemid=77 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |newspaper=flipnews.org |date=August 1, 2011 }}</ref> was an [[Italy|Italian]] [[journalist]] who was murdered while covering the [[Second Chechen War]].
'''Antonio Russo''' (3 June 1960 16 October 2000) was an Italian journalist and Vice-President of the International Press Free lance (FLIP),<ref>{{cite news|last=Flip |title=Antonio Russo |url=http://www.flipnews.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4796:antonio-russo&Itemid=77 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615173744/http://www.flipnews.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4796:antonio-russo&Itemid=77 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |newspaper=flipnews.org |date=August 1, 2011 }}</ref> He was murdered while covering the [[Second Chechen War]].


==Biography==
== Career ==
Born in 1961 in [[Chieti]], ([[Abruzzo]]), Russo was taken from an [[orphanage]] when he was about 6 years old. In the eighties, he left the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of [[Pisa]] in order to study at the Faculty of Philosophy at [[Sapienza University of Rome]] in 1986. The same year, he founded, with a group of students, the magazine ''[[Philosophema]]'', which he devoted much of his intellectual commitment.


After studying [[philosophy]], he started doing [[journalism]] in the nineties, his first service being a report from [[Siberia]] (with [[Radical Radio]]). He reported from Algeria during the years of bloody repression, [[Burundi]] and [[Rwanda]] during the [[Rwandan genocide|Hutu-Tutsi war]]. He documented the [[Second Congo War]], and then [[Ukraine]], [[Colombia]], [[Russia]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Eventi a cui ha partecipato Antonio Russo |url=http://www-6.radioradicale.it/soggetti/antonio-russo?page=67 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615194006/http://www-6.radioradicale.it/soggetti/antonio-russo?page=67 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-15 |newspaper=radioradicale.it |year=1996 }}</ref> [[Algeria]] and [[Sarajevo]] during the siege.<ref>{{cite news|last=Futuri.it|title=La tecnologia? Deve essere funzionale ad arricchire le esperienze, altrimenti rischia di appiattire la comunicazione|url=http://www.mediamente.rai.it/biblioteca/biblio.asp?id=746&tab=bio|newspaper=mediamente.rai.it|date=2001-01-19|access-date=2013-04-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518104054/http://www.mediamente.rai.it/biblioteca/biblio.asp?id=746&tab=bio|archive-date=2015-05-18|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Antonio Russo was a ''free-lance'',<ref>{{cite news|title=Antonio russo|url=http://thedarksideofthemedia.blogspot.it/p/antonio-russo.html|newspaper=thedarksideofthemedia.blogspot.it}}</ref> used to live firsthand the hottest events. Born in 1961 in [[Chieti]], ([[Abruzzo]]) is taken from an [[orphanage]] in about 6 years. Leave in the 80s the [[Faculty of Veterinary Medicine]] of [[Pisa]] to register, in '86, at the [[Faculty of Philosophy, Sapienza University of Rome|Faculty of Philosophy]] of "[[La Sapienza]]" of [[Rome]]. Always in '86 he founded with a group of students from the [[magazine]] "[[Philosophema]]", which he devotes much of his intellectual commitment.


Russo was also sent to [[Kosovo]], where he was the only [[Western world|Western]] journalist in the region during the [[NATO]] bombing. He documented the ethnic cleansing against [[Albanians Kosovars]].
After studying [[philosophy]], he began making the profession of [[journalism]], in the nineties, his first service, a report from [[Siberia]] (with [[Radical Radio]]). He had not wanted join to '[[Association of Journalists]]' (both [[publicists]] than [[professionals]]) and had turned down offers of warheads emblazoned, since so he felt free to tell without vetoes the realities of war and - he said - the atrocities that civilians were forced to endure.


Russo was for many years a [[freelance]] reporter and international [[Radical Radio]]. Among his most famous matches those from Algeria, during the years of bloody repression, [[Burundi]] and [[Rwanda]] during the war [[Hutu-Tutsi]], which have documented [[the war in the Great Lakes region]], and then [[Ukraine]], [[Colombia]], [[Cipro]], [[Russia]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Eventi a cui ha partecipato Antonio Russo |url=http://www-6.radioradicale.it/soggetti/antonio-russo?page=67 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615194006/http://www-6.radioradicale.it/soggetti/antonio-russo?page=67 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-06-15 |newspaper=radioradicale.it |year=1996 }}</ref> [[Algeria]] and [[Sarajevo]] during the siege.<ref>{{cite news|last=Futuri.it|title=La tecnologia? Deve essere funzionale ad arricchire le esperienze, altrimenti rischia di appiattire la comunicazione|url=http://www.mediamente.rai.it/biblioteca/biblio.asp?id=746&tab=bio|newspaper=mediamente.rai.it|date=2001-01-19|access-date=2013-04-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518104054/http://www.mediamente.rai.it/biblioteca/biblio.asp?id=746&tab=bio|archive-date=2015-05-18|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On that occasion, he was also the protagonist of a daring escape from the Serbian forces, joining a convoy of refugees from Kosovo with a direct train to [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]. The convoy stopped along the way and Antonio Russo reached [[Skopje]] on foot.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kosovo: Antonio Russo di Radio Radicale e' a Skopje|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/kosovo-antonio-russo-di-radio-radicale-e-a-skopje|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=April 1, 1999|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201232426/http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/kosovo-antonio-russo-di-radio-radicale-e-a-skopje|archive-date=February 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> There was no [[news]] of him for two days, and he was thought to have been lost.<ref>{{cite news|last=Russo|first=Antonio|title=Ho visto l'orrore di Pristina|url=http://www.repubblica.it/online/fatti/russo/russo/russo.html|newspaper=repubblica.it|date=April 2, 1999}}</ref>
On his return, he received two major journalism awards.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Zola |first=Matteo |title=TSCHETSCHENIEN: Vor zehn Jahren wurde Antonio Russo getötet. Gegen das Vergessen |journal=East Journal |url=http://www.eastjournal.net/tschetschenien-vor-zehn-jahren-wurde-antonio-russo-getotet-gegen-das-vergessen/3142 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615173745/http://www.eastjournal.net/tschetschenien-vor-zehn-jahren-wurde-antonio-russo-getotet-gegen-das-vergessen/3142 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |accessdate=October 10, 2010 }}</ref>


Russians denied him entry to [[Chechnya]], so Russo went to Georgia to cover crimes against civilians there.<ref>[http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php Antonio Russo]. The Committee to Protect Journalists</ref><ref>[http://www.thejournalistsmemorial.org/%22?lang=en&pays_deces=94&date_mini=2000&date_maxi=2000&id_article=596 Antonio Russo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317071848/http://www.thejournalistsmemorial.org/%22?lang=en&pays_deces=94&date_mini=2000&date_maxi=2000&id_article=596 |date=2012-03-17 }}. The Journalist Memorial.</ref> He sent movies and correspondences to Radical Radio.
Russo was also sent [[Radical Radio]] in [[Kosovo]], where he remained - only [[Western world|Western]] journalist in the region during the [[NATO]] bombing - up to 31 March 1999 to document the ethnic cleansing against [[Albanians Kosovars]]. During those weeks he also collaborated with other [[Italian media]] and [[international agencies]].


On that occasion he was also the protagonist of a daring escape from the [[raids Serbs]], joining a convoy of refugees from Kosovo direct train to [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]. The convoy stopped along the way and Antonio Russo reached on foot [[Skopje]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Kosovo: Antonio Russo di Radio Radicale e' a Skopje|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/kosovo-antonio-russo-di-radio-radicale-e-a-skopje|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=April 1, 1999|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201232426/http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/kosovo-antonio-russo-di-radio-radicale-e-a-skopje|archive-date=February 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> There were no [[news]] of him for two whole days, in which it has already given up for lost.<ref>{{cite news|last=Russo|first=Antonio|title=Ho visto l'orrore di Pristina|url=http://www.repubblica.it/online/fatti/russo/russo/russo.html|newspaper=repubblica.it|date=April 2, 1999}}</ref>
Russo also intended to interview [[Vera Putina]], a woman who claimed [[Vladimir Putin]] was her lost son.<ref name="The Telegraph - Putina">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/3568891/Could-this-woman-be-Vladimir-Putins-real-mother.html Could this woman be Vladimir Putin's real mother?]. The Telegraph. 2008-12-05</ref><ref name="Anticompromat - Putina">[http://www.anticompromat.org/putinav/felsht.htm Vera Putina]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20100616112833/http://anticompromat.org///putinav/felsht.html archived]). Anticompromat.org</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Partito Radicale|first=Rinascimento|title=Antonio russo: aveva scoperto le vere origini di putin, prt|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/antonio-russo-aveva-scoperto-le-vere-origini-di-putin-prt|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=October 30, 2000|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201232426/http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/antonio-russo-aveva-scoperto-le-vere-origini-di-putin-prt|archive-date=February 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
On his return, he received two major journalism awards. An echo of that story came also in the [[German press]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Zola |first=Matteo |title=TSCHETSCHENIEN: Vor zehn Jahren wurde Antonio Russo getötet. Gegen das Vergessen |journal=East Journal |url=http://www.eastjournal.net/tschetschenien-vor-zehn-jahren-wurde-antonio-russo-getotet-gegen-das-vergessen/3142 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130615173745/http://www.eastjournal.net/tschetschenien-vor-zehn-jahren-wurde-antonio-russo-getotet-gegen-das-vergessen/3142 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 15, 2013 |accessdate=October 10, 2010 }}</ref>


Russo was also investigating the Russian request for the [[United Nations]] to expel the [[Transnational Radical Party|Radical Party]], accused of meddling in the war in Chechnya. Russo planned to return to Rome by October 16 with the information he had gathered.
Russians denied him entry to [[Chechnya]].


== Death ==
He went to Georgia to cover crimes against civilians in [[Chechnya]].<ref>[http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php Antonio Russo]. The Committee to Protect Journalists</ref><ref>[http://www.thejournalistsmemorial.org/%22?lang=en&pays_deces=94&date_mini=2000&date_maxi=2000&id_article=596 Antonio Russo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317071848/http://www.thejournalistsmemorial.org/%22?lang=en&pays_deces=94&date_mini=2000&date_maxi=2000&id_article=596 |date=2012-03-17 }}. The Journalist Memorial.</ref> He sent movies and correspondences to [[Radical Radio]], the [[Radio Station]] he worked in [[Italy]].
Antonio Russo died in the night between 15 and 16 October 2000 in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], where he was sent by Radical Radio to document the crimes in Chechnya. The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy)|Farnesina]] announced that his body was found on the edge of a country road, near the village of [[Udzharma]], 25km from Tbilisi (the same road leads to the [[Vaziani Military Base]], where Russian forces were stationed at the time). The body was bruised and showed signs of torture, with techniques related to special military services. The autopsy revealed that Russo was killed by blows to the chest that caused fatal internal injuries. The [[Commissioner]] [[Nugzar Khambashidze]] was in charge of the investigation.


Russo's apartment had been searched and looted; his laptop computer, mobile telephone, video camera, and three videotapes were missing.<ref>[http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php Antonio Russo] - The Committee to Protect Journalists</ref> Russo's friends believed that the [[Federal Security Service|FSB]] was responsible for his death due to his discovery of unconventional weapons being used against children. According to his mother, Beatrice, Russo told her in a phone call before his death that he came into possession of a videotape documenting [[Second Chechen War crimes and terrorism|war crimes]] in Chechnya.<ref name="Was reporter killed">{{cite web |last1=Gentleman |first1=Amelia |last2=Carroll |first2=Rory |author1-link=Amelia Gentleman |author2-link=Rory Carroll |title=Was reporter killed by Putin's secret service? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/nov/12/russia.ameliagentleman |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=3 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221052611/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2000/nov/12/russia.ameliagentleman |archive-date=21 December 2022 |date=11 November 2000 |url-status=live}}</ref>
Russo was reportedly also going to interview [[Vera Putina]], a woman who had identified [[Vladimir Putin]] as her lost son and had provided photographs of young Putin.<ref name="The Telegraph - Putina">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/3568891/Could-this-woman-be-Vladimir-Putins-real-mother.html Could this woman be Vladimir Putin's real mother?]. The Telegraph. 2008-12-05</ref><ref name="Anticompromat - Putina">[http://www.anticompromat.org/putinav/felsht.htm Vera Putina]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20100616112833/http://anticompromat.org///putinav/felsht.html archived]). Anticompromat.org</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Partito Radicale|first=Rinascimento|title=Antonio russo: aveva scoperto le vere origini di putin, prt|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/antonio-russo-aveva-scoperto-le-vere-origini-di-putin-prt|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=October 30, 2000|access-date=April 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201232426/http://www.radioradicale.it/exagora/antonio-russo-aveva-scoperto-le-vere-origini-di-putin-prt|archive-date=February 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>


== Recognition ==
In recent times, Russo was investigating the Russian request for expulsion by the [[United Nations|ONU]] by [[Transnational Radical Party|Radical Party]], accused of meddling in the war in [[Chechnya]]. After collecting the new material, he said particularly important, Antonio Russo would have to return to [[Rome]] on October 16. That material, however, it was not possible to view.
Two films have been devoted to his work in Chechnya.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.premioantoniorusso.com/a_russo_bio.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413190332/http://www.premioantoniorusso.com/a_russo_bio.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-04-13|newspaper=premioantoniorusso.com|title=Article}}</ref> In May 2009, [[Daniel Biacchessi]] wrote the story of Antonio Russo in his book ''Passione reporter''.


== Awards ==
Antonio Russo died in the night between 15 and 16 October 2000 in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], where he was sent as a [[Radical Radio]] to document the war in [[Chechnya]]. The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Italy)|Farnesina]] announced the discovery of his body was found on the edge of a country road, near the village of [[Udzharma]], at 25&nbsp;km from [[Tbilisi]] ([[Georgia (country)|Georgia]]), tortured and bruised, with techniques related to [[military specialist departments]]. The element is significant, because this road there is a [[Russian base of Vasiani]]. His apartment had been searched and looted; Russo's laptop computer, mobile telephone, video camera, and three videotapes were missing.<ref>[http://cpj.org/killed/2000/antonio-russo.php Antonio Russo] - The Committee to Protect Journalists</ref> The circumstances of death were never clarified, unconfirmed bring back the incident to the government of [[Vladimir Putin]] in [[Moscow]]. The [[autopsy]] reveals that the envoy [[Radical Radio]] was killed by blows to the chest that caused fatal internal injuries. The [[Commissioner]] [[Nugzar Khambashidze]], in charge of the investigation, he initially claimed to be able to exclude each track policy.
1999, 10 October ([[Mantua]]) - "Prize Andrea Barbato] Ethics of objectivity" III° Edition<ref>{{cite news|title=Antonio Russo riceve il Premio Andrea Barbato|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/172275|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=October 10, 1999}}</ref>

In his work as a war reporter in [[Chechnya]] have been devoted two films.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.premioantoniorusso.com/a_russo_bio.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413190332/http://www.premioantoniorusso.com/a_russo_bio.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-04-13|newspaper=premioantoniorusso.com|title=Article}}</ref>

In May 2009, [[Daniel Biacchessi]] writes the story of Antonio Russo in his book ''Passione reporter''.

The name of Antonio Russo appears in [[Arlington National Cemetery|Arlington]], at the [[Museum of Press of Washington]], etched into the [[stone of the Martyrs]], together with that of 25 other journalists disappeared in 2000.

In an interview the 29 November 2002 by [[Patrizia Notarnicola]] to [[Laura Boldrini]], the [[ACNUR]] [[spokesman]], is remembered Antonio Russo<ref>{{cite news|title=GIORNALISTI NELLA STORIA - I NOSTRI MARTIRI|url=http://www.odg.mi.it/node/30518|newspaper=Ordine dei giornalisti|date=January 1, 2003}}</ref>

==Won Prize==
1999, 10 October ([[Mantua]]) - "[[Prize Andrea Barbato]]: Ethics of objectivity" III° Edition<ref>{{cite news|title=Antonio Russo riceve il Premio Andrea Barbato|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/172275|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=October 10, 1999}}</ref>


1999, 28 May ([[Sarteano]]) - VII° Journalist Award [[Sarteano]] "Clean Pens".<ref>{{cite news|title=Antonio Russo riceve il VII° Premio Sarteano "Penne Pulite"|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/184356|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=May 28, 1999}}</ref>
1999, 28 May ([[Sarteano]]) - VII° Journalist Award [[Sarteano]] "Clean Pens".<ref>{{cite news|title=Antonio Russo riceve il VII° Premio Sarteano "Penne Pulite"|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/184356|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=May 28, 1999}}</ref>


1999 - XX° [[Ischia International Journalism Prize]]<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.premioischia.it/Storia?lang=en|work=Ischia International Journalism Prize|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705143154/http://www.premioischia.it/Storia?lang=en|archivedate=5 July 2010}}</ref>
1999 - XX° [Ischia International Journalism Prize<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.premioischia.it/Storia?lang=en|work=Ischia International Journalism Prize|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100705143154/http://www.premioischia.it/Storia?lang=en|archivedate=5 July 2010}}</ref>


2001, April 11 - XXVI ° [[Journalism Prize Saint-Vincent]] organized by the friends of the house of game of [[Saint-Vincent, Aosta Valley|Saint-Vincent]] with the [[High Patronage]] of the [[President of Italy|President of the Republic]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Quirinale: Consegnato alla memoria di Antonio Russo il 36° premio giornalistico Saint Vincent|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/192523|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=April 11, 2001}}</ref>
2001, April 11 - XXVI ° Journalism Prize Saint-Vincent organized by the friends of the house of game of [[Saint-Vincent, Aosta Valley|Saint-Vincent]] with the High Patronage of the [[President of Italy|President of the Republic]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Quirinale: Consegnato alla memoria di Antonio Russo il 36° premio giornalistico Saint Vincent|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/scheda/192523|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=April 11, 2001}}</ref>


2006, September 11 - Prize Witness for Peace
2006, September 11 - Prize Witness for Peace


2012, October 15 ([[Rome]]) - [[Prize Italy Human Rights]] "Global and Human Civilization"<ref>{{cite news|title=Premio Italia diritti umani 2012 "Civiltà Globale e Diritti Umani"|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/premio-italia-diritti-umani-2012-civilta-globale-e-diritti-umani|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=October 17, 2011}}</ref>
2012, October 15 ([[Rome]]) - Prize Italy Human Rights "Global and Human Civilization"<ref>{{cite news|title=Premio Italia diritti umani 2012 "Civiltà Globale e Diritti Umani"|url=http://www.radioradicale.it/premio-italia-diritti-umani-2012-civilta-globale-e-diritti-umani|newspaper=radioradicale.it|date=October 17, 2011}}</ref>


==Film==
==Film==
2003- was released in cinemas '''L'inquilino di via Nikoladze''' by the director [[Massimo Guglielmi]] ([[UNESCO Prize 2005]]).
2003- was released in cinemas '''L'inquilino di via Nikoladze''' by the director [[Massimo Guglielmi]] (UNESCO Prize 2005).


2004- was released in cinemas '''Chechnya''', a film about the history of the war reporter, by [[Leonardo Giuliano]] with [[Gianmarco Tognazzi]] in the role of Antonio Russo distributed by [[Stazione Marittima Spa]] and supported by the [[Ministry of Heritage and Culture]] ([[Ministry of Culture]])
2004- was released in cinemas '''Chechnya''', a film about the history of the war reporter, by Leonardo Giuliano with [[Gianmarco Tognazzi]] in the role of Antonio Russo distributed by Stazione Marittima Spa and supported by the [[Ministry of Heritage and Culture]] ([[Ministry of Culture]])


==See also==
==See also==
Line 69: Line 63:


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
Line 80: Line 74:


{{DEFAULTSORT:Russo, Antonio}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russo, Antonio}}
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Assassinated Italian journalists]]
[[Category:Assassinated Italian journalists]]
[[Category:Second Chechen War]]
[[Category:Second Chechen War]]
[[Category:1960 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Journalists killed in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:Journalists killed in Georgia (country)]]
[[Category:20th-century Italian journalists]]
[[Category:20th-century Italian journalists]]
[[Category:Italian male journalists]]
[[Category:Italian male journalists]]
[[Category:20th-century Italian male writers]]

Latest revision as of 17:33, 25 February 2024

Antonio Russo
Born(1960-06-03)3 June 1960
Died16 October 2000(2000-10-16) (aged 40)
Occupation(s)Reporter, Radical Radio
MotherBeatrice Russo

Antonio Russo (3 June 1960 – 16 October 2000) was an Italian journalist and Vice-President of the International Press Free lance (FLIP),[1] He was murdered while covering the Second Chechen War.

Career

[edit]

Born in 1961 in Chieti, (Abruzzo), Russo was taken from an orphanage when he was about 6 years old. In the eighties, he left the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Pisa in order to study at the Faculty of Philosophy at Sapienza University of Rome in 1986. The same year, he founded, with a group of students, the magazine Philosophema, which he devoted much of his intellectual commitment.

After studying philosophy, he started doing journalism in the nineties, his first service being a report from Siberia (with Radical Radio). He reported from Algeria during the years of bloody repression, Burundi and Rwanda during the Hutu-Tutsi war. He documented the Second Congo War, and then Ukraine, Colombia, Russia,[2] Algeria and Sarajevo during the siege.[3]

Russo was also sent to Kosovo, where he was the only Western journalist in the region during the NATO bombing. He documented the ethnic cleansing against Albanians Kosovars.

On that occasion, he was also the protagonist of a daring escape from the Serbian forces, joining a convoy of refugees from Kosovo with a direct train to Macedonia. The convoy stopped along the way and Antonio Russo reached Skopje on foot.[4] There was no news of him for two days, and he was thought to have been lost.[5] On his return, he received two major journalism awards.[6]

Russians denied him entry to Chechnya, so Russo went to Georgia to cover crimes against civilians there.[7][8] He sent movies and correspondences to Radical Radio.

Russo also intended to interview Vera Putina, a woman who claimed Vladimir Putin was her lost son.[9][10][11]

Russo was also investigating the Russian request for the United Nations to expel the Radical Party, accused of meddling in the war in Chechnya. Russo planned to return to Rome by October 16 with the information he had gathered.

Death

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Antonio Russo died in the night between 15 and 16 October 2000 in Georgia, where he was sent by Radical Radio to document the crimes in Chechnya. The Farnesina announced that his body was found on the edge of a country road, near the village of Udzharma, 25km from Tbilisi (the same road leads to the Vaziani Military Base, where Russian forces were stationed at the time). The body was bruised and showed signs of torture, with techniques related to special military services. The autopsy revealed that Russo was killed by blows to the chest that caused fatal internal injuries. The Commissioner Nugzar Khambashidze was in charge of the investigation.

Russo's apartment had been searched and looted; his laptop computer, mobile telephone, video camera, and three videotapes were missing.[12] Russo's friends believed that the FSB was responsible for his death due to his discovery of unconventional weapons being used against children. According to his mother, Beatrice, Russo told her in a phone call before his death that he came into possession of a videotape documenting war crimes in Chechnya.[13]

Recognition

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Two films have been devoted to his work in Chechnya.[14] In May 2009, Daniel Biacchessi wrote the story of Antonio Russo in his book Passione reporter.

Awards

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1999, 10 October (Mantua) - "Prize Andrea Barbato] Ethics of objectivity" III° Edition[15]

1999, 28 May (Sarteano) - VII° Journalist Award Sarteano "Clean Pens".[16]

1999 - XX° [Ischia International Journalism Prize[17]

2001, April 11 - XXVI ° Journalism Prize Saint-Vincent organized by the friends of the house of game of Saint-Vincent with the High Patronage of the President of the Republic.[18]

2006, September 11 - Prize Witness for Peace

2012, October 15 (Rome) - Prize Italy Human Rights "Global and Human Civilization"[19]

Film

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2003- was released in cinemas L'inquilino di via Nikoladze by the director Massimo Guglielmi (UNESCO Prize 2005).

2004- was released in cinemas Chechnya, a film about the history of the war reporter, by Leonardo Giuliano with Gianmarco Tognazzi in the role of Antonio Russo distributed by Stazione Marittima Spa and supported by the Ministry of Heritage and Culture (Ministry of Culture)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Flip (August 1, 2011). "Antonio Russo". flipnews.org. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013.
  2. ^ "Eventi a cui ha partecipato Antonio Russo". radioradicale.it. 1996. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15.
  3. ^ Futuri.it (2001-01-19). "La tecnologia? Deve essere funzionale ad arricchire le esperienze, altrimenti rischia di appiattire la comunicazione". mediamente.rai.it. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  4. ^ "Kosovo: Antonio Russo di Radio Radicale e' a Skopje". radioradicale.it. April 1, 1999. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  5. ^ Russo, Antonio (April 2, 1999). "Ho visto l'orrore di Pristina". repubblica.it.
  6. ^ Zola, Matteo. "TSCHETSCHENIEN: Vor zehn Jahren wurde Antonio Russo getötet. Gegen das Vergessen". East Journal. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
  7. ^ Antonio Russo. The Committee to Protect Journalists
  8. ^ Antonio Russo Archived 2012-03-17 at the Wayback Machine. The Journalist Memorial.
  9. ^ Could this woman be Vladimir Putin's real mother?. The Telegraph. 2008-12-05
  10. ^ Vera Putina[permanent dead link] (archived). Anticompromat.org
  11. ^ Partito Radicale, Rinascimento (October 30, 2000). "Antonio russo: aveva scoperto le vere origini di putin, prt". radioradicale.it. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  12. ^ Antonio Russo - The Committee to Protect Journalists
  13. ^ Gentleman, Amelia; Carroll, Rory (11 November 2000). "Was reporter killed by Putin's secret service?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 December 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Article". premioantoniorusso.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-13.
  15. ^ "Antonio Russo riceve il Premio Andrea Barbato". radioradicale.it. October 10, 1999.
  16. ^ "Antonio Russo riceve il VII° Premio Sarteano "Penne Pulite"". radioradicale.it. May 28, 1999.
  17. ^ "History". Ischia International Journalism Prize. Archived from the original on 5 July 2010.
  18. ^ "Quirinale: Consegnato alla memoria di Antonio Russo il 36° premio giornalistico Saint Vincent". radioradicale.it. April 11, 2001.
  19. ^ "Premio Italia diritti umani 2012 "Civiltà Globale e Diritti Umani"". radioradicale.it. October 17, 2011.
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