Director of Mukachevo Communal Enterprise sues mass media that published official information from the National Police

Director of communal enterprise “Public transport of Mukachevo” Oleksandr Bidzilia filed a claim to the local court suing an online media outlet and the National Police of Ukraine regarding defense of honor, dignity, and business reputation. This was reported by online media outlet “Mukachevo.net”, which published a photocopy of the relevant claim application. As the published document shows, the defendants are chief editor of online media outlet “PMG. Panorama Media Group” Ivan Garagonych, chief editor of online media outlet “Censor.NET” Yuriy Butusov, and the National Police of Ukraine. The claimant complains that the information published on the official web-site of police is invalid and that its publication and re-publication “blemishes his honor, dignity and business reputation”. In the publications of both online media outlets, just like in the вnews at the official web-site of police, the names of officials and the names of communal enterprises are not mentioned. “Taking into account that the media in their news publish information received from official sources, according to the provisions of part two of article 302 of the civil Code of Ukraine, they are not under an obligation to verify its validity, and cannot be responsible in case it is later refuted. Still, it all applies only if they give a reference to such official source”, Maksym Ratushnyi, the lawyer of IMI, commented on this information.