Journalists barred from court hearing on reinstatement of professor Vasylenko

The Shevchenkivskyi District Court declined journalists’ request for admission to a court hearing considering the reinstatement of Professor Mykyta Vasylenko as lecturer at the Institute of Journalism of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Hromadske reports.

Vasylenko’s lawyer said that she objected to journalists' presence at the hearing, because it would consider “technical issues” and not “what the press may be interested in.” She said they would only be challenging the professor's dismissal while he was temporarily unable to work.

Mykyta Vasylenko, photo by Mykyta Vasylenko on Facebook

She says that Vasylenko went on sick leave on December 25, 2024, which was supposed to last until December 30, due to a hypertensive crisis. His students, who were also barred from attending the hearing, believe that their former professor went on sick leave intentionally.

“From what we learned, Vasylenko took sick leave the day before the department hearing, right at the last moment before the hearing, seemingly so that a dismissal order would be unlawful. (…) I, like all the students, hope for a fair ruling by the court, which, we hope, realizes why Vasylenko took sick leave and that such professors have no place in our education,” says Anastasia Kerpan, former student at the Institute of Journalism.

The court guards said that the students were not allowed into the courtroom because it was too small, but the students say that there was room for at least three people there. Despite this, they were barred from attending and were also “treated very disrespectfully” and called “the support group.”

The university believes that Vasylenko’s dismissal was “in compliance with the law” and their lawyers will present this position in court, said NUK Rector Volodymyr Buhrov.

He added that if the court sides with the professor, the university may simply not renew his contract.

Ultimately, the court hearing was postponed because Vasylenko’s defense requested the full copies of the dismissal orders.

Previously

On December 18, 2024, Mykyta Vasylenko, a lecturer at the Institute of Journalism of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, made unethical remarks about Ukrainian women, saying that “foreign soldiers coming to Ukraine will improve the demographic situation.” He said this on the air of the Russian media outlet politnavigator.net, which is banned in Ukraine according to a 2018 presidential decree.

The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets prepared letters to the Ministry of Education and Science and the Security Service of Ukraine with a request to review Mykyta Vasylenko's activities in view of his unethical remarks about Ukrainian women.

The student parliament of the Institute of Journalism at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv called on the Center for Countering Disinformation under the NSDC to provide media coverage and investigate Vasylenko’s activities and his public statements.

On December 24, 2024, the Taras Shevchenko NUK rector Volodymyr Buhrov promised to “take action” against Professor Mykyta Vasylenko following another scandal around him.

On December 26, the Academic Council of the Institute of Journalism at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv asked the rector Volodymyr Buhrov to terminate the contract with the professor.

On December 27, 2024, the management of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv prematurely terminated Mykyta Vasylenko's contract.

The Commission on Journalistic Ethics supported the dismissal of Mykyta Vasylenko.