Police opens case over attack on journalist by UOC MP supporters

Diana Lavryk, photo by NTK TV

The police have opened a case into the attack on freelancer journalist Diana Lavryk by UOC MP supporters during a conflict in a Verkhni Stanivtsi church (Chernivtsi oblast), reports Chernivtsi Oblast National Police spokesperson Karolina Marysheva in a comment to Alyona Chorna, regional representative of the Institute of Mass Information.

“The data from the citizen’s statement regarding this event has been entered into the URPTI under Part 1 of Article 125 ('Intended minor bodily injury') of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The necessary investigative actions are being carried out as part of the criminal case. A pre-trial investigation is underway,” Marysheva reported.

Asked why the proceedings were not classified as violence against a journalist, the spokesperson said that a pre-trial investigation is currently underway and a decision on whether to recategorize the case or not will be made after all facts and circumstances are clarified.

Journalist Diana Lavryk told the IMI representative that she had come to Verkhni Stanivtsi as a journalist to report on the first divine service at a parish that had switched to to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine a few months ago.

“I said right away that I was a journalist and was filming what was happening, I had an ID badge around my neck. I wanted to film the service, but I was attacked by UOC MP supporters who broke into the church's premises. They were throwing pebbles and sand in my face and at the camera. They had batons, gas sprays, and the gas got in my face as well. After that, the men beat us with large sticks. I said again that I was a journalist, but this did not stop the attackers. They shoved me, I fell down, they started dragging me by my hair around the church yard and beating me with sticks. Then one of the men from the OCU took me inside the church,” Lavryk said.

According to her, the attackers broke into the church through the altar, fired gas from fire extinguishers and forced people out of the temple: “In the hallway, they beat us with batons again, pulled me aside, pulled me by my hair, wanted to take away my equipment.”

The journalist says that the police and an ambulance arrived later. She did not seek medical help at the time, continued filming, and filed a police statement about the attack on site.

Diana Lavryk said that she had her injuries recorded: "I had bruised legs, torn knees, bruises on my neck and head. I took an examination. The X-ray did not confirm this, but based on all the symptoms it could have been a mild concussion, because I was nauseous, my neck was swollen. This had to be recorded immediately. I did not go to Vyzhnytsia to have the beatings recorded right away. I was threatened with murder if I came there again. An investigator in Kolomyia is working on my case."

According to Lavryk, she did not file a death threats report because she has no material proof of this, having heard these words from the attackers.

Diana Lavryk also clarified that she was not filming for a media outlet and did not have an editorial assignment, but came as a journalist at the invitation of the parson, Father Roman Hryshchuk.

The journalist said that her news story was posted to Roman Hryshchuk’s Facebook page. “There, he explains what was happening. The news story was also published on media resources that interviewed me (after the conflict. – Author),” she said.

Diana Lavryk added that the church service took place a few days later and was covered by Roman Hryshchuk on Facebook page and by her personally.

She also said that she has been working in journalism for over six months, writes for the printed newspaper Vilnyi Holos, and runs the information department at of the S. Bandera National Association “Tryzub”.

Archpriest, OCU chaplain Roman Hryshchuk said in a comment to the IMI representative that thanks to Diana Lavryk, the actions of UOC MP supporters were filmed. “Diana Lavryk filmed the things that representatives of the UOC MP were doing. If she were not there and it was not filmed, they (the UOC MP) would have presented it as if they were the ones getting beaten,” said Roman Hryshchuk.

As reported earlier, independent journalist Diana Lavryk was injured while covering the conflict around the St. Nicholas Church in Verkhni Stanivtsi village (Chernivtsi oblast) switching from the Moscow Patriarchate to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on April 8.