City Council deputy in Kirovohrad oblast to be tried for attacking a journalist and negligence
Deputy of the Oleksandria City Council (Kirovohrad oblast) will be tried for inflicting bodily harm on a journalist, as well as for negligence, which led to UAH 1.7 million in losses. This was reported by the Kirovohrad Oblast Prosecutor's Office.
According to the investigation, in 2019, the journalist was working on a report about the corruption aspect to the change of the company that maintains the city landfill. During the filming, the deputy tried to knock the camera out of the journalist's hands, hitting him on the arm. According to the examination's findings, the media worker received minor injuries.
In addition, the investigation charges the deputy with negligence. Namely, the accused's failure to exercise control over the work of the enterprise which owned the landfill. As a result, the landfill was being managed with numerous violations of the legal requirements, which led to the pollution of the land and the groundwater, the environmental damage amounting to UAH 1.7 million.
The pre-trial investigation into the deputy inflicting bodily harm on a journalist, as well as into his negligence (Part 2, Article 345-1; Part 2, Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) has been completed.
As reported by IMI, on October 23, 2019, a Kirovohrad Regional Council member, head of the Department of Housing, Urban Planning and Architecture of the Oleksandria City Council Hennadiy Lotsman attacked local journalist, "Texty. Oleksandria" editor Viktor Holoborodko, pushed him, and tried to knock the camera out of his hands.
On August 24, 2022, deputy of the Oleksandria City Council (Kirovohrad oblast), Hennadiy Lotsman, was notified of suspicion for intentionally causing bodily harm to "Texty. Oleksandria" journalist Viktor Holoborodko while the latter was performing his professional activities in October 2019.
Lotsman was notified of suspicion for committing a crime under Part 2 of Article 345-1 (threats or violence against a journalist) of the Criminal Code. The sanction of the article provides for punishment in the form of imprisonment or restriction of freedom for a term of up to 5 years.
The police had closed the case twice due to "the act not constituting a criminal offence." However, Viktor Holoborodko contested the decision in court twice, demanding the proceedings to be resumed.
The investigation was only completed in 2022, and on August 24, the law enforcers notified Hennadiy Lotsman of suspicion.
Help us be even more cool!
