In Chernihiv, security guards of MP from Petro Poroshenko Bloc assaulted journalist to take his camera

On November 7 in Chernihiv, the head of Chernihiv branch of the Independent Media Trade Union Vladyslav Savenko was assaulted by men wearing civilian clothes: they pushed him down to the floor and took his camera. The Independent Trade Union’s website reported this.

The incident took place in the building of the oblast Philharmonic during the event attended by a member of Parliament belonging to the Presidential faction, Vladyslav Atroshenko, who will participate in the second round of city mayor's elections together with the current mayor.

According to the journalist, he came to the event (not planning that in advance, he just was passing by and saw a lot of people, so he decided to investigate) and tried to take some pictures, but a security guard called backup, and four men assaulted the journalist and took his camera. After that, they carried the journalist out of the building and returned his camera and the glasses that he lost in the turmoil.

Vladyslav Saveniuk filed a complaint to the police due to obstruction to his professional activities, and demands the police to open criminal proceeding on this case. Saveniuk had to get medical care as his arm was damaged; it is unconfirmed yet whether it was broken or not, the expertise that he addressed for will identify this. Mr.Atroshenko, whose security guards assaulted the journalist, commented that the guards put the blame for "provocation" on the journalist. Atroshenko also apologized to the journalist, yet police officers, when they learned about the details from the journalist, refused to run the procedure of identification of the men who committed the assault.