Novaya Gazeta reporters ask firearms for protection

Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta will file a letter with the Federal Security Service, asking to give weapons for personal safety to journalists. "If you can't ensure our security, alllow our journalists to carry firearms", the authors of the letter wrote.   Anastasia Baburova, a journalist with Novaya Gazeta, was shot dead on Monday together with lawyer Stanislav Markelov. Anna Politkovskaya, a journalist with the same newspaper, was also murdered in 2006.

Russian businessman Alexander Lebedev who co-owns thisnewspaper told reporters in Moscow that a similar letter had already been filed with the Federal Security Service before, informs the Russian news agency Ria-Novosti.