MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has suspended the membership of the Russian Union of Journalists, Vladimir Solovyov, the Union’s head, told TASS on Wednesday.

"IFJ Secretary General Anthony Bellanger sent me a letter informing me that the membership of [the Russian Union of Journalists] had been suspended," he said.

The International Federation of Journalists announced earlier that on February 22 it would consider the suspension of the Russian Union of Journalists from membership. The press release, circulated in Brussels, said that after four branches of the Russian Union of Journalists had been established in Russia’s new regions, the IFJ Executive Committee "unanimously adopted a motion condemning this decision and giving effect to Article 16 of the IFJ Statutes, which could lead to the suspension and eventual exclusion of the member organization.".