Flowerpot fell on protesters from window of Ukreximbank
A protest rally in support of “Skhemy” journalists, who were attacked while interviewing the head of the financial institution Yevhen Metzher, started at 2 pm in Kyiv near the Ukreximbank building, as Suspilne reported.
According to Suspilne correspondent Daria Koval, a flowerpot fell suddenly out of a window of the bank just before the protest.
In total, about a dozen people came to protest rally. They hold placards condemning the actions of the bank's management and in support of the journalists of the "Skhemy" project.
Photo credits: DAryia Koval, Suspilne
Journalists who came to the press briefing of the bank's management that was cancelled were invited to the bank's building, where the representative of the financial institution Maryna Fomenko announced the decision by tye supervisory board of Ukreximbank to suspend Metzher.
At the same time, Fomenko did not specify whether Metzher's suspension was a temporary measure, and did not provide information about his whereabouts.
"Further information on the developments will be reported by official communication on our official resources, please, follow the news. If you need comments, please contact us with official requests to our official mail," she said.
As IMI reported, on October 4 in Kyiv, employees of the state-owned Ukreximbank used brute force against the film crew of "Skhemy" while recording an interview with the chairman of the financial institution Yevhen Metzher right in his office.
The Kyiv Police has initiated criminal proceedings for obstructing the professional activities of journalists of the “Schemes” program (Part 1 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Ukreximbank accused “Skhemy” journalists of misappropriating information with limited access (banking secrecy) and violating the Code of Ethics for Ukrainian Journalists.
On October 4, journalists for “Skhemy”were summoned for questioning as victims to establish all the circumstances of the incident at Ukreximbank during a recording of an interview with Chairman of the Board Yevhen Metzher.
On October 4, the editorial board of "Skhemy" managed to restore the video deleted by Ukreximbank employees during the attack on the film crew in the office of the head of the state bank Yevhen Metzher.
On October 5, the Supervisory Board of Ukreximbank announced that it had begun investigating the circumstances of the conflict with “Schemy” journalists.
On October 6, Ukreximbank's Chairman of the Board Yevhen Metzher said he would step down from office during the police investigation and an internal bank investigation into the conflict with “Skhemy” journalists.
On October 6, Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said that the Office of the Prosecutor General would not cover for the actions of employees of the state-owned Ukreximbank who attacked the TV crew of the "Skhemy" program. The person in charge will be notified of the suspicion.
On October 6, the Supervisory Board of Ukreximbank decided to suspend the Chairman of the Board of Ukreximbank Yevhen Metzher from the exercise of his powers for the duration of the internal investigation.
On October 6, police officers requalified the case on the grounds of a crime under Part 3 of Art. 171 of the Criminal code of Ukraine (Obstruction of lawful professional activity of journalists by an officer). The initial registration at the request of journalists was under Part 1 of Art. 171 (obstruction by denial of access, seizure of equipement, illegitimate ban to cover some issues and so on).
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