Watchdog

The website of the influential Russian independent newspaper "Novaya gazeta" was inaccessible through much of today and is thought to have been hacked, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

"Novaya gazeta" spokeswoman Nadezhda Prusenkova told RFE/RL the newspaper's technical staff is trying to find the reasons for the website's problems. She said management has not ruled out the possibility that the daily is the victim of a cyberattack.

The newspaper began publishing news and other articles on its LiveJournal page since its site was unavailable.

"Novaya gazeta" is known for its critical and investigative coverage of political and social issues. Four prominent journalists at the newspaper were murdered between 2001 and 2009.

Prosecutors in Chisinau have again interviewed the country's former president over the beatings in April of demonstrators during protests against the election victory of the ruling Communist Party.

Vladimir Voronin, who stepped down following the pro-Western opposition's victory in last year's second election in July, told reporters today in Chisinau that he did not know in detail what the police were up to during the youth protests.

But he said once he realized there were young people in jail, he had them released.

Voronin has been questioned by prosecutors on two consecutive days as a witness of last year's events.

His former interior minister, Gheorghe Papuc, and the former chief of the police in Chisinau, Vladimir Botnari, have been already questioned as suspects and charged with "serious negligence at work."

They could face up to five years in prison if found guilty.

Hundreds of Moldovans claim they were the victims of police brutality in the aftermath of the April protests, which left at least one person dead.