The Rivne District Police Department has opened a case over obstruction faced by Chetverta Vlada journalist Anastasia Savliuk at the Rivne housing and maintenance department on 10 June, the police department reported on their website.
The case was filed under Part 1 of Article 171 (obstruction of legal reporting) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It covers illegal seizure of journalistic material or equipment, denial of access to information, and other willful actions impeding the work of a journalist.
According to the police, a journalist with a local news outlet contacted them at around 1:10 p.m. on 10 June. She reported that a state institution employee grabbed her mobile phone, demanded she delete video footage, refused to provide information, and forcibly made her leave the building.
The investigative team documented the details of the incident and took a statement from the journalist.
The article’s sanction provides for a fine, up to three years of probation, or restriction of liberty for the same term.
Earlier, Chetverta Vlada journalist Anastasia Savliuk reported facing obstruction by employees of the Rivne housing and maintenance department, who took away her phone, tried to forcibly detain her in the building, and threatened her with police inspections