Journalist resigns in protest as Al Jazeera pulls oligarch investigation

Al Jazeera is at the centre of a row over its decision to pull an investigation into a black propaganda campaign waged against a London-based businessman whose Russian father-in-law, a mining magnate, has apparently fallen foul of rivals linked to the Kremlin.

Related: Oligarchs at war in London over mystery of missing Siberian

The journalist who carried out the investigation, Will Jordan, who has been with the broadcaster for a decade, has resigned in protest at the decision which he claims amounts to censorship.

A Fishy Business examined how enemies of Alexander Shchukin, who is currently under arrest on an extortion charge, sought the support of British MPs and peers as they attempted to have the oligarch’s daughter Elena, and his son-in-law, Ildar Uzbekov, hit with an unexplained wealth order, something that would see their assets frozen.

The investigation, conducted in tandem with a separate Observer inquiry, examined the role played by well-connected Russian lobbyists, journalists and fixers in promoting a film, Blood Coal Money, that alleged – without any evidence – that Shchukin was behind the disappearance of a mine administrator in Siberia.

The film, whose London premiere was scrapped when Uzbekov brought legal proceedings, was produced as part of what was portrayed as a grassroots campaign launched on behalf of Siberian coalminers who wanted justice for the missing administrator.

In reality, A Fishy Business revealed that it was chiefly an attempt to seize the Shchukin family’s assets – pushed by powerful businessmen, several of who claim to be close to President Putin.

“My family are the victims of an attempted smear campaign,” Uzbekov told the Observer. “This is how Russian oligarchs work these days – via media campaigns, fabrications, hacking and the blatant exploitation of western governments and legal systems including the UK parliament. However, it doesn’t stop there – we’ve had several death threats too.”

It is believed that Jordan’s 3,000-word resignation letter claims that several parties representing Russian interests lobbied against the investigation’s broadcast which was scheduled for late summer.

But it is unclear why the broadcast was dropped. Al Jazeera declined to comment.

The decision comes at a sensitive time.

Although the Qatar government funds the broadcaster it insists it “exerts no editorial influence of control”.

The broadcaster’s enemies allege this is not the case and want Al Jazeera to be registered as a foreign agent with the US Justice department. This would see it branded as a propaganda arm, similar to Russia Today, something that would undermine its reputation for independent journalism.

It is understood that senior Al Jazeera executives had concerns about A Fishy Business due to the nature of its subject. Hacked emails relating to the black propaganda campaign turned out to be fabricated making it difficult to establish the truth of who was behind it, its motivations and intentions. The Observer publishes its own investigation into the affair on Sunday.