Kharkiv oblast man to be tried for obstructing the work of journalists

The Kharkiv district prosecutors have submitted an indictment against a 39-year-old resident of Rohan village (Kharkiv oblast) to court. The man is charged with obstructing the work of journalists (Part 1 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), reports the press service of the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office.

In January 2022, correspondents approached him and his roommate in Rohan while covering earlier police reports about child abuse. The man was intoxicated and started shoving the journalists, pushing away the camera and cursing at the media workers.

Photo by the Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office

As noted by the prosecutors, this prevented journalists from producing the material where they wanted to confirm or refute the allegations about a child being abused by the mother and stepfather.

The prosecutors added that after the start of the full-scale invasion, the man left for Lviv and hid there for a long time. However, the police detained the man and the investigation of his case was resumed.

In April 2024, the Supreme Court ordered a new hearing of the case regarding obstruction faced by the Korabeliv.info journalist Natalia Belova during the 2014 presidential elections.