Journalist 'gagged after Kremlin story blocked'

A TELEVISION journalist with Russia's last major channel openly critical of president Vladimir Putin has been ordered off the air in what critics call an assault on free speech.

REN TV anchor Olga Romanova said security guards blocked her way when she arrived for work on Thursday. She said bosses had stopped her broadcasting an item about a fatal accident involving a Kremlin minister's son.

"Olga Romanova's treatment is a clarion call that tells us that we have lost the last station which kept even a little independence and objectivity in its coverage," a news agency quoted former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev as saying.

REN TV denied any political motive and said it was making personnel changes to lift ratings. Romanova blamed management "stupidity" rather than Kremlin pressure.

She said she was being sidelined after complaining on air on Wednesday that management was blocking news items that might anger top officials.

These included a report that charges were dropped against the son of defence minister Sergei Ivanov. A pedestrian was killed when the car Mr Ivanov's son was driving hit her.