In Kherson, court staff denied access to court sessions for journalist

On October 15 in Kherson, the staff of Suvorovskyi district court denied to local journalist, member of the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine Valeriy Myroniuk, access to court sessions. The Trade Union’s website posted this information.

When the journalist requested the court’s permission to visit several sessions, his request was denied – the staff of the court said the sessions were postponed. The journalist wanted to visit the hearing of the lawsuit on fraud by the credit union "Hromada" led by judge Kuzmina, and of the criminal case where the claimant is the head of the oblast party "Solidarnist" Olena Ursulenko.  

Valeriy says that he was checking how the rights of citizens to be present at open court sessions are being respected, and discovered that court staff tends to deny such requests giving various reasons. At that, before Valeriy introduced himself as a journalist the court staff demanded a document that he is a participant of court litigations he wants to visit. After he said he was a journalist, they immediately changed their approach claiming both sessions were postponed. Valeriy Myroniuk called police and filed complaint on the crime stipulated in article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.