Press service of Medvedchuk did not let Radio Liberty to cover transfer of Ukrainian captives

On June 28, the press service of the head of the political council of the “Opposition Platform - For Life”, Viktor Medvedchuk, did not let the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalists to cover the release of Ukrainian prisoners, as to RFE/RL.

In the morning, the journalists submitted the list of names to be accredited to the press service and got confirmation they could attend the transfer of prisoners.

However, at the airport the security officers did not find their names in the list. Later on, they were told that presence of the Radio Liberty journalists had not been approved by Medvedchuk's press service. The press service failed to provide any explanation.

Earlier, Medvedchuk told to Russian media that on June 28, in Minsk militants from the armed groups "DPR" and "LPR" had to release four Ukrainian captives.

IMI lawyer Ali Safarov told that denial of access to the journalists for the Radio Liberty was a case of censorship, as it is stipulated by the part two of the Article 24 of the Law "On Information".

"The status of Viktor Medvedchuk as a person who organizes transfer of captives is not defined by the law. Viktor Medvedchuk is not appointed to the office, he has no status of a civil servant, has any status which has been regulated by any normative act of status as a person representing Ukraine. So, the provisions of part two of the Article 25 of the Law "On Information", which stipulates the right of journalists to get in the premises of the subjects of power authorities and to be accepted by their officials, are not applicable toward Viktor Medvedchuk and his structures ", the lawyer said.

Nor the provisions of the Article 26 of the Law "On Information" defining the procedure of accreditation of the press are applicable to Viktor Medvedchuk and his structures.

"However, due to the great public importance of the fact of transfer to Ukraine of its citizens who had been illegally held by Russia, and denial of the journalists of Radio Liberty to cover this event has signs of censorship in accordance with part two of Article 24 of the Law of Ukraine" On Information ", Ali Safarov said.