1+1 Media declines to comment on the backlash against the journalists who vouched for Kolomoysky
The media group "1+1 Media" declined to answer the questions asked by "Detector Media". The group was seeking a comment on the backlash against the 1+1 employees who previously asked to release the 1+1 Media owner, Ihor Kolomoysky, on bail.
"Detector Media" emailed a request consisting of five questions on September 26.
In the request, the group was asking how the idea to take Kolomoysky on bail came to be and who exactly came up with it, whether the above-mentioned 1+1 employees coordinated this initiative with the channel's management and/or with Kolomoysky's attorneys.
"Detector Media" also asked at what point the former Minister of Culture, Oleksandr Tkachenko, joined the initiative and what is 1+1 Media's stance on his role in it.
Furthermore, they asked what the 1+1 employees who vouched for the oligarch thought about their appeal being dismissed and whether they intend to try again in the future. "Detector Media" also asked for the full list of employees who wanted to take Kolomoysky on bail.
The group also asked for a comment on the societal backlash against the 1+1 employees, as some believe that their willingness to take the arrested oligarch on bail calls their professional reputation into question.
Instead of answers, "Detector Media" received the following response:
"Hello! Thank you for your inquiry. Yesterday's court hearing about the 1+1 Media beneficiary, Ihor Kolomoysky, was open and was broadcast live by many media outlets. Accordingly, the opinions and motives of all those who expressed a desire to vouch for Ihor Valeriyovych during the trial were voiced at the hearing itself. The agenda of the hearing and information about the people who offered to take Ihor Kolomoysky on bail are also public.
"No employee of 1+1 Media can assess the court's ruling, as this is the lawyers' job."
After this, "Detector Media" tried to clarify whether they should expect answers to the questions they laid out in the request, and the 1+1 Media head of corporate communications, Yana Lyakhovych, said that there were no additions at the moment. When asked whether 1+1 considers it normal to leave the society's backlash agianst 1+1 journalists unanswered, Lyakhovych did not respond at all, the group notes.
"Detector Media" also tried to get a comment from journalist Ihor Tsyhanyk regarding his personal willingness to take Kolomoysky on bail and the criticism expressed by a part of society towards the journalists who vouched for the oligarch.
"Tsyhanyk was willing to answer the question by Detector Media, but due to his commitment to corporate policy and the decisions of the 1+1 Media press office, he refused to talk to our team," the group noted.
As IMI reported, on September 25, 2023, employees of the TV channel "1+1" came to the Kyiv Court of Appeal to attend the hearing in the appeal against the arrest of the 1+1 Media owner, Ihor Kolomoysky, and take the oligarch on bail. Namely, the hearing was attended by TV presenters Natalia Moseychuk, Alla Mazur, Yuriy Horbunov, 1+1 CEO Yaroslav Pokalchuck, head of information Serhiy Popov, journalists Oleksandr Zavhorodniy and Ihor Tsyhanyk and the former Minister of Culture, Oleksandr Tkachenko.
The court upheld the ruling against Kolomoysky despite their voucing.
Help us be even more cool!
