Ukraine: violations of freedom of speech were registered almost throughout the whole country

Between 7 and 13 June, the number of violations in Ukraine in the category "Physiacl aggression" predominated – 9 cases.

Violation of freedom of speech in the category "Physical aggression":

In Vinnytsia one of the builders rudely demanded that Liudmyla Klishchuk, a journalist of the newspaper "33 Kanal', who was taking pictures of the renovation works, left.

In Dnipropetrovsk  the journalist of one of the all-Ukrainian newspapers had a conflict with a representative of the National Defense HQ over photos of displaced persons. The fomer was prevented from taking pictures. Maryna Davydova, an editor of the web portal Dnepr.com, informs about pressure and threats towards her.

In Luhansk armed men abducted Vasyl Serdiukov, an editor of the newspaper "Serdyta gazeta", and his son, photographer Yevhen.

In Sumy the car of Olena Adamenko, a journalist of the Sumy newspaper "Dankor", was burned down.

In Ivano-Frankivsk Nataliya Dzulay, a correspondent and an editor of the online media outlet "Reporter", was pushed out of the "Loto Club" and threatened with physical violence.

In Odessa unidentified men attacked a camera crew of the TV channel "Pershyi miskyi" at the beach "Otrada" - Maria Kovaliova, a special correspondent, and Serhiy Samoilov, a videographer, when the crew was filming an investigation about commercial beaches.

The following cases were registered in the category "Censorship. Access to public information":

Kamyanets-Podilsky executive committee of the city council did not allow the correspondent of "Independent Community Portal" to attend its session.

 "Luhansk cable TV" has been broadcasting the TV channel "1+1", but switching it off during the newscast. 

In Simferopol correspondents and a cameraman of the Crimean online media outlet "Center of Journalist Investigations" were not allowed to attend the session of the Crimean Council of Ministers despite making attempts to get accreditation beforehand.

In Cherkasy police officers and a member of the territorial election commission forbade Ihor Yefimov, a press photographer of the newspaper "Vechirni Cherkasy", to take pictures in the building where the election commission was located.

The deputy of Rivne City Council asked a journalist of the Rivne-Volyn information analytic portal "4 Vlada" to leave a session of special committe.

Category "Internet pressure"

Websites of Zakarpattia oblast Mukachevo.net and Zakarpattia.Online suffered hacker attacks. 

Prosecutor's office is ready to defend the freedom of speech.

The detective department of the prosecutor's office in Cherkasy oblast registered criminal proceedings upon obstructing journalists' legal professional activity by police officers when covering protest actions.

For more information, please visit www.imi.org.ua and www.freedomhouse.org/ukraine-media-watch.

This report was prepared under the Media Watch Network project that IMI runs with Freedom House and the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.