MOSCOW, RUSSIA — An unhappy coincidence — 7th October 2021 will mark the 15th anniversary of the journalist Anna Politkovskaïa’s assassination and the 69th birthday of Russian president Vladimir Putin’s.
If it’s possible to ask oneself about the strange coincidence between these two dates, what is sure is that Anna’s fight still continues: the free press has never been so attacked in Russia that in the past few months since the end of the USSR.
So this year, Reporters Without Borders asks the international community not to wish Mr. Putin a happy birthday, but rather an #UnhappyBirthdayMrPutin.
To commemorate Anna’s memory, to demand that all light is shed on her assassination as the prescription time is coming on the 7th of October, that the commendatory are found and that pressure is put on the Russian president so that abuses and threats against journalists in Russia cease.
#UnhappyBirthdayMrPutin : le 7 octobre, anniversaire du président russe, et aussi celui de l’assassinat de la célèbre journaliste Anna Politkovskaïa (il y a 15 ans).
RSF marque cette date symbolique par un lâcher de ballons noirs qui interpelle le président Vladimir Poutine. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/f4PICulgOX— RSF (@RSF_inter) October 7, 2021
This 7th October, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched a great operation in the press and on social media. RSF will be launching an action in front of Russian embassies in Paris, London, Berlin and in front of Novaïa Gazeta in Moscow to release 1000 black balloons #UnhappyBirthdayMrPutin.
Russia is 150th out of 180 countries on RSF’s 2021 World Press Freedom Index.
CREDITS
Campaign: #UnhappyBirthdayMrPutin
Advertiser: Reporters Without Borders
Brand Managers: Christophe Deloire, Isabelle Rahe, Robin Grassi, Chloe Legoff
Ad Agency: BETC
Agency Managers: Guillaume Espinet, Catherine Emprin, Hugo Ghiglia, Ténée Diouf
Executive Creative Director: Stephane Xiberras
Copywriter: Dominique Marchand
Art Director: Marie-Aude Lecomte
Producer: Charlotte Daouiri
