Former Volyn official contests penalty for attacking a journalist in Supreme Court

Ex-official Heorhiy Stefanesa, who was sentenced to 5 and a half years in prison for attacking the journalist Lyudmyla Yavorska and embezzling budget money, appealed to the Supreme Court of Ukraine to reconsider the verdict, Lyudmyla Yavorska reports to Maya Holub, the regional representative of the Institute of Mass Information in Volyn oblast.

Edit by "Syla Pravdy"

On April 19, 2023, the Lutsk City & District Court (Volyn oblast) convicted Heorhiy Stefanesa for misappropriation and embezzlement of property by malversation committed by a group of persons upon their prior conspiracy (Clauses 3 and 4 of Article 191, Clause 3 of Article 27 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and for obstruction of legal reporting (Clause 1 of Article 171 of the CCU).

As stipulated by Clause 1 of Art. 70. of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in a set of criminal offenses the more severe penalty absorbs the less severe one, so Stefanesa was sentenced to five and a half years in prison and was banned from holding certain positions for 3 years.

This year, Heorhiy Stefanesa filed a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court, asking to suspend the enforcement of the Lutsk City & District Court judgement passed on April 19, 2023, while his appeal is being considered. He also asked to cancel the Volyn Court of Appeal ruling dated 14.12.2023.

In a comment to the IMI representative, journalist Lyudmyla Yavorska noted that the Supreme Court ruled partially in favour of Stefanesa. Namely, the court upheld the decision regarding the obstruction of reporting. For attacking the journalist, the court sentenced Stefanesa to 5 months in prison and fined him UAH 1 in moral damages.

"It was important that the court acknowledge that the moral damage was done, so I filed a separate civil lawsuit in this regard. Still, I wanted nothing to do with the money stolen by Stefanesa, so I requested a symbolic sum – one hryvnia," said Lyudmyla Yavorska.

The journalist notes that in such a situation it is unlikely that Stefanesa will be brought to justice, since they must find him first. And this, in her opinion, no one is trying to do.

"I was very surprised to learn that Stefanesa was wanted, but neither the court nor the law enforcers are asking his lawyers where he is and how to find him. It turns out that it is quite a popular practice in Ukraine to receive a sentence, flee abroad to avoid comlying with it, and try to cancel the sentence from abroad. All while no one is surprised or interested in where the convict is," noted Lyudmyla Yavorska.

On April 19, 2023, the Lutsk City & District Court (Volyn oblast) convicted the former Pidhaytsi village council official, Heorhiy Stefanesa, for embezzling budget funds and assaulting the journalist Lyudmyla Yavorska, sentencing him to five and a half years in prison.

On January 4, 2021, in the village of Pidhaytsi, Volyn oblast, the project manager of the Pidhaytsi village council, Heorhiy Stefanesa, threw his fists at the reporter Lyudmila Yavorska, who came to thePidhaytsi village council to get comments from the deputies regarding the road works on one of the streets, as well as to file an information access request.

Heorhiy Stefanesa has been declared wanted.