Police to investigate death threats to Ukrainian Pravda journalists under two articles

The police have opened proceedings over death threats to "Ukrainian Pravda" journalists, reports the Kyiv National Police.

The proceedings were initiated under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• part 2 of Article 171 ("Obstruction of legal professional work of journalists");
• part 1 of Article 345-1 ("Death threats or violent threats to a journalist").

The police noted that they learned of the death threats while monitoring social media.

"According to the post, a journalist with an online media outlet started receiving threatening messages after the release of his report. Furthermore, someone tried to hack into his online banking profile," the police said.

The articles stipulate that the perpetrators should face up to three years in prison.

Journalist Mykhailo Tkach noted that he has the victim status in 12 cases related to obstruction of reporting:

• eight cases are not being investigated at all and there has been no appropriate response;
• four cases are pending in courts;
• one case is being tried by the European Court of Human Rights.

"So if someone thinks that death threats or pressure matter to me in any way except from the procedural standpoint, then this someone was wrong again. Since the text messages were sent from anonymous accounts, I hope that the official investigation will identify whether it was Mr. Slobozhenko or someone else trying to take advantage of the situation," Mykhailo Tkach wrote.

On May 15, 2024, "Ukrainian Pravda" editors reported death threats to journalist Mykhailo Tkach, the media outlet's chief investigator. The threats started coming after the release of the investigation "Unfit".

Previous attacks on Mykhailo Tkach

In early October "Ukrainian Pravda" journalist Mykhailo Tkach reported SMS-bombing and mass phone calls after the publication of his story "Wartime Fast and Furious. How the capital's residents are being terrorized by street races" on September 28.

Mykhailo Tkach later reported obstruction to his reporting and suggested it was connected with the release of the aforementioned material.

On October 13, Mykhailo Tkach reported being hit by a car. He added that he is "not inclined" to associate this case with his professional work, but noted that the VAZ driver sped up in front of a pedestrian crossing and in front of him. The Committee for Protection of Journalists (CPJ) called on the Ukrainian authorities to investigate the persecution of the Ukrainska Pravda team and the obstruction of the work of journalist Mykhailo Tkach.

On the evening of November 17, 2023, "Ukrainian Pravda" journalist Mykhailo Tkach was assaulted while filming in Kozyn, Kyiv oblast.

When a visitor's security noticed the filming, they started shining the high beams and blocking the journalists' cars.

"I got out of the car, said that I was a journalist for 'Ukrainian Pravda'. The security guards started blocking me, and one approached me and kicked the camera, and also hit me," said Tkach.

The Kyiv Oblast opened a case for obstruction of journalistic work (Part 2 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code).

In April 2024, the police sent indictments against citizens O. and Kh., charged with assaulting the "Ukrainian Pravda" journalist Mykhailo Tkach near the "Tandyr" restaurant in Kozyn (Kyiv oblast) on November 17, 2023, to court.