Pryamyy channel claimed about pressure from SBI
Pryamyy TV channel claimed being under pressure of State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). The broadcaster was going to hold a telethon "Hands off the" Pryamyy! " on July 9, as this was reported on the channel's website.
“The current government launched a new attack against Pryamyy TV channel with the help of the SBI in order to close the channel. Apparently, the TV channel spoke too loudly and too directly. The broadcaster is under strong pressure from the authorities, and this can be assurely seen as crackdown on freedom of speech in Ukraine. That is why journalists, presenters and employees of the channel now feel more acutely than ever that Pryamy is being besieged, - the joint statement of the TV presenters reads. "Those whom we disturb, please come to our studio and say it on live!"
The channel decided to hold the marathon after the statement of the Chief Investigator of the State Bureau of Investigation Oleh Koretsky, who was probing into the case on alleged evasion and further legalization (laundering) of benefits, obtained criminally during the transaction of purchase and sale of "Pryamyy" TV channel. The day before, he said that the State Bureau’s i nvestigators had been under pressure for more than three months.
As Svitlana Orlovska, the head of the channel, told Detector Media , Pryamy sent letter to the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech asking to respond to information about pressure on the channel from the State Bureau of Investigation.
"Yesterday (July 8. - Ed. ) Investigator of the State Bureau of Investigation Oleh Koretsky made a public statement that the SBI was tasked to register the TV channelPryamy as material evidence and then seize it. Of course, this is just shocking information, so today we decided to hold this marathon. This is just the beginning of our reaction as a TV channel, as a mass media outlet. We also expect a response from all the media, from the parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech. <…> Of course we will go to the committee and talk. We want a reaction from the legislature, ”she said.
Orlovska added that the channel would also address inquiries to international organizations.
Asked whether the Pryamyy was going to complain to law enforcement officers, she said: “We are still working. I can't say yet whether we will apply to law enforcement agencies. "
As IMI reported, on November 7, 2019, the Pryamiy TV channel claimed that the residence place of the owner of the TV channel Volodymyr Makeyenko was being searched, as it is reported on the channel's website.
"The investigator, who came to conduct the search of Volodymyr Makeyenko's apartment, refused to tell which law enforcement agency he represented," - Artem Khomenko, correspondent for "Pryamy", said.
The search was being conducted under a court order. However the law enforcement officer refused to tell which ruling it was, and in the framework of what proceeding.
The “Pryamy” editorial board said that they perceived these actions as "pressure and offensive on freedom of speech".
It should be reminded that the State Bureau of Investigation is investigating in criminal proceedings about allegedly abuse of President Petro Poroshenko during the sale and purchase of the TV channel. The criminal proceedings were instituted on the statement of the former deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine since the time of Viktor Yanukovych Andriy Portnov.
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