Times and times again I imagined this magazine in my hands. In 1999 we already discussed the idea of the magazine with Alexey Yablokov, Alexander Nikitin, Sviatoslav Zabelin, Alexey Simonov, Lev Fedorov, Naum Nim, Alexander Tkachenko, Ernst Cherny and some other people – all of them are closely involved in environmental and human rights activity.

Then and now, we see the magazine to be informative and attractive. We wish it to be read by people of quite different ages, but in particular – by the young. For it is they, the young and competent in ecology and justice, who will build the new Russia. Not a Russia we are being ushered now in – a Russia belonging to KGB, Soviet state security service, and to its spies, a Russia full of slavery and of lie. No, we think of a Russia that would be really free, independent, courageous, wealthy and happy.

I am very sorry that, because of reasons I cannot affect, I was not able take part in the work that is most difficult and most interesting for any journalist and editor – I mean the preparation of the first issue. And of course I am still more sorry that again there are political sleuths and political prisoners in Russia. Concerning either ecology or human rights, the situation has not improved till now. But our magazine is then still more necessary. And we shall do our best to be needed, to be interesting, and to be of real use for you – for our Reader

Grigory Pasko, editor of the magazine “Environment & Rights” from his prison cell in Vladivostok

Environment & Rights #1, June 2002