Freedom of speech Barometr for May, 2012
In May a significant increase in cases of journalists’ rights violation was fixed. A number of cases of obstruction to journalists’ activities two times increased in comparison with the previous month and now there are 15 cases. It is more than previous month in 2012 altogether.
The most resonant cases are those of threatening to Mustafa Naem, a journalist of Ukrainska Pravda, which he associates with his article about Tabachnyk and abuse of Nataliia Rozynska, which she associates with Major Melnychenko (Gongadze’s Case).
The number of censorship cases is also growing. ІМІ experts associate it with the coming of elections to the Parliament. Thus, UNIAN editorial Board claimed of it. On May 12, Mykola Kondratenko, a Deputy Editor-in-chief, made a decision to remove from the site information under the title Akhmetov Banned to Enter the Party of Regions at his Enterprises.
Quantitative markers
Gongade’s Case
Pukach ordered to get rid of documents of operational monitoring of Gongadze
Arrests and Detentions -1
Police apprehended and assaulted journalists that came to the Court in Zaporozhets’s Case
30.05.12. In Brovary, during the hearing of Vitalii Zaporozhets’s Case there was a scramble between police and the protesters and, as a result, mass arrests occurred, e.g. some journalists were apprehended and assaulted (a journalist of Channel 5 had his leg injured and a journalist of Svidomo was arrested).
Assault, Attacks and Intimidations - 6
1. Unknown offender broke a camera of a cameraman of tochka.net during his work
04.05.12. In Kyiv unknown offender assaulted Vitalii Lazebnyk, a cameraman of tochka.net, during his professional activities. Lazebnyk was shooting the demolition of illegal construction of the church in Peremoha Park in Darnytsia.
· Police doesn’t consider an assaulted cameraman of tochka.net to be a rep of Media
· Tochka.net identified the offender and it was a Director of Peremoha Park
· For a fact of assault of tochka.net cameraman a case on hooliganism was opened
2. Two unknown offenders assaulted Rozynska
16.05.12. Nataliia Rozynska, a TV presenter of Pershy Natsionalny, was assaulted near her house.
· For a fact of assault of Rozynska militia opened a criminal case
· Militia investigates 4 versions of the assault.
22.05.12 A Head of Sokilnyk Village Council in Pustomyitivsky district, Lviv Region, damaged a camera of journalists from Lviv Region State Television and Radio Company. The Prosecution opened a criminal case according to paragraph 1 Art. 171 CC of Ukraine Obstruction to Professional Activities of Journalists.
4. Mustafa Naem claims about threatening because of his article about Tabachnyk and Prysiazhniuk
24.05.12. Mustafa Naem, a journalist of Ukrainska Pravda, claims that he got a letter with threatening, which he associates with his last publication Yan Tabachnyk and Anatoliy Prysiazhniuk Protect a Corrupt.
· A letter with threatening to Mustafa Naem was sent from sports forum
5. Unknown offender assaulted a journalist during the elections in Sofiivska Borshchahivka
27.05.12. During special elections of a Head and deputies of Sofiivska Borshchahivka Village Council in №13067 polling station unknown offender assaulted Ivan Lysenko, a journalist of information agency Pravutsia, who was shooting the election process.
6. A Participant of X-Factor tried to drown a journalist of Novy Channel
Oleksandr Kryvoshapko, a participant of TV-show X_Factor, pushed Philip Churchheladze, a journalist of Novy Channel, into a swimming pool.
The incident happened during a party, devoted to opening of beach season in Kyiv. Kryvoshapko pushed a journalist of Pirania program in front of everyone.
New Facts about Assaults, Attacks and Intimidations
1. Offenders of a journalist from Mykolaiv were sentenced to from 5 to 11 years of imprisonment
12.05.12. Offenders of Oleksandr Vlashchenko, a journalist of Nashe Misto Mykolaiv newspaper and Novosti N Internet publication, were sentenced to from 5 to 11 years of imprisonment. Such decision was made on May, 11, by Leninsky Court of Mykolaiv.
2. The Prosecution opened a case as to assaulting of an ICTV journalist
04.05.12. The Prosecution of Pechersk District Court in Kyiv opened a criminal case about a conflict between Tetiana Tretiak, an ICTV journalist, and Oleksandr Kazhyian, a PR manager of publicity agency Secret Service, which happened on March, 16, 2012 in Crystal Hall club in Kyiv.
3. A man, who took part in the assault of Donetsk journalists, will pay a fine of only 51 hrn
17.05.12. A man, who took part in the assault of Matsuka, Syzov, Tkachenko, Ovcharenko, the journalists from Donetsk, on January, 29, 2012, during the March of Heroes, was fined (51 hrn) according to the administrative protocol (Art. 173 Code of Ukraine about Administrative Offences (disorderly conduct).
On May, 28, 2012 Mykolaivsky District Court pleaded guilty Vahtang Ubiriya, an Ex-Vice Mayer of Odesa, according to Art. 171 CC of Ukraine (Obstruction to Professional Activities of Journalists).
On June, 11, 2011, Ubiriya assaulted a TV reporter of Odesa TRC Grad and also threatened other journalists with a pistol, shooting into the air and swearing. The incident happened at the dump Dilnytski Cariery near Odesa.
Obstruction to Professional Activities and Censorship - 15
1. Symonenko’s guards caused obstruction to journalist activities on May, 1
01.05.12 In Kyiv, during celebrations at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the guards of Petro Symonenko, a Deputy and a leader of Communist Party, without any reason didn’t allow the journalist to go to the place reserved for their work.
01.05.12. On the territory of Kyiv-Pechersk Laura an unknown man in robe together with a guard of the monastery prevent Roman Kushnirenko, a cameraman of TRC Brody, from recording a Service and then took a camera by force.
08.05.12. The conflict between journalists and militia happened during the protest when the journalists tried to go to Bankova St.
4. The journalists were pitched out of the hospital, where Tymoshenko was brought
09.05.12. Journalists of central and local Media were pitched out of the territory of Ukrzaliznytsia hospital in Kharkiv, where Yulia Tymoshenko, a sentenced Ex-Prime Minister of Ukraine, was brought.
5. Pershy Nationalny Channel refused to transmit Forum of the Opposition, even for thr money
11.05.12. The management of Pershy Nationalny Channel of Ukraine refused to transmit live Forum of the United Opposition that took place on May, 12 on Mykhaylivska Square.
6. Donetsk journalist was warned not to film Yanukovych otherwise he might be killed by sniper
14.05.12. Unknown people caused obstruction to a journalist of the Internet publication Novosti Donbasa to make pictures and videos near the Shakhter Plaza hotel in Donetsk, when Yanukovych, the President, was there.
7. Employees of UNIAN demands to reinstate Kharchenko and claims about censorship
17.05.12. UNIAN stuff considers dismissal of Oleksandr Kharchenko, an editor-in-chief, illegal and claims about features of censorship on the site.
«On May, 12, Mykola Kondratenko, a Deputy Editor-in-chief of the UNIAN site, who is now introduced as a Head of UNIAN Internet projects Department, gave a directive to remove from the site information that Akhmetov Banned to Enter the Party of Regions at his Enterprises. This action is regarded as censorship”, – mentioned in the statement.
· Kharchenko is temporarily reinstated on the position of an editor-in-chief of UNIAN
· Kharchenko is appointed a President of UNIAN
8. In Poltava the deputies of City Council didn’t allow a journalist to be present at the meeting
16.05.12. The deputies of the City Council in Poltava didn’t allow the journalist of the Internet publication Kolo to be present at the meeting.
9. Yatseniuk claims that he is denied participation in programs at Inter Channel
17.05.12. Press service of Front Zmin Party claims that the program Velyka Polityka z Eugeniem Karasiovym (Inter Channel) denied participation of Arseniy Yatseniuk, a Leader of the party, on the eve of the program.
Managers of Vellyka Polityka sent sms message about cancellation of the program with Yayseniuk participation.
10. Crimean TV channel ATR wasn’t allowed to transmit live the memorial service of Tatars
17.05.12. The first Crimean-Tatar channel ATR won’t transmit live the memorial service on the Deportation Day (May, 18). The stuff of the channel think that they might be closed at all.
Moderators of Ternopil District State Administration site removed information about the meeting, chaired by V.Devjatkov, the First Deputy of the DSA Head, as to transfer of budgetary organizations to Firtash’s bank Nadra for service.
12. In Kyiv region electoral commission didn’t allow the journalists to be present at their meeting
18.05.12. Olha Haharina, a journalist of informational and analytical weekly Hromadsky aahyst Kyivshchyny, wasn’t allowed to be present at the meeting of the electoral commission by the decision of the commission on the elections of a Head in Svitylna Village Council (Brovary District, Kyiv region).
13. Dorohniy Control claims about censorship on Inter and 1+1 channels
28.05.12. Internet publication Dorohniy Control (DC) clams that Inter channel got a directive not to show DC in the news and other programs. This information was revealed by the channel stuff. “The censorship is associated with the fact that DC actively discredits Kobra (Special Forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs) and it can lead to negative public attitude to the authorities”, - said in DC.
14. Journalist of Euro-Patrul wasn’t accredited because he represented non-official publication
28.05.12. Journalist of Euro-Patrul site was denied access to Euro-2012 event. Without any explanations a journalist wasn’t accredited for the official opening of new terminal D at Boryspil Airport.
15. Journalist of Ukrainska Pravda wasn’t accredited
28.05.12. Iryna Slavinska, a literary observer of the Internet publication Ukrainska Pravda, wast accredited for the awarding ceremony Koronatsia Sliva.
New Facts about Obstruction to Professional Activities and Censorship
14.05.12. Oleksandr Efremov, a Leader of the Region Party Fraction, explained that it was misunderstanding, when the journalists weren’t allowed to enter Verhovna Rada last week.
Osadchy explained the dismissal of Kharchenko by negative results of UNIAN
16.05.12. Vadym Osadchy, General Manager of UNIAN, explained that dismissal of Kharchenko from a position of an editor-in-chief happened because of the negative economic results of the agency during the last period.
Economic, Political and Indirect Pressure - 5
1. The Prosecution prohibited a newspaper of Kremenchuk City Council to be published in Russian
01.05.12 Kremenchul Prosecution (Poltava region) revealed the violation of the law by Visnuyk Kremenchka, when they made a decision to publish the newspaper in Russian.
2. Benkendorf removed Roynska during the investigation of the incident with road inspectors
07.05.12. National TV Company of Ukraine removed Nataliia Rozynska, a presenter of Pershy Nationalny channel, from her work during the investigation of the incident that happened to Rozynska and road inspectors on May, 2.
10.05.12. Mykola Voloshyn, a Deputy Editor of Zahidny Donbas newspaper, went on open-ended hungry strike because of financial problems of his newspaper by Pavlograd City Council.
3. Prosecution is trying to find Usov
16.05.12. Kostiantyn Usov, an author of scandal film about prison on Lukjanivsk, was called to interrogations and TVi was asked to inform about the location of the journalist.
· Prosecution states that they are interested in Usov only as a key witness
· Prosecution wants to know how Usov passed a mobile to the prison
4. In Slovjansk a newspaper of the Opposition claims about pressure of Mayer and police. The stuff of Panorama Tyzhnia (Slavjansk, Donetsk region) says about pressure of Nelia Shtepa, a Mayer, and local police.
Roman Marenin, a journalist, under the pressure wrote an application for dismissal from Chernivtsi Region State Television and Radio Company. He said that the conflict was caused by the desire to protect his garden in village Synkiv in Ternopil Region, where Dmytro Firtash, an oligarch, is building his greenhouse industry.
Court Claims to Media and Journalists -1
1. Editor of Express newspaper is being sued
Corporation KRT sues Ihor Pasichnyk, an editor of Express newspaper, about protection of business reputation. They ask to «recognize the information in Express newspaper on17.05.2012-24.05.2012 №52 (6348) on p.1 and p.6 under the title How to Launder a Billion by I.Pochynka not true and not valid and such as humiliates business reputation».
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