Pryamyy claimed about pressure and attacks from SBI and National watchdog
On July 21st, in its open letter the Pryamyy broadcaster called on Ukrainians to respond to the facts of pressure and attacks targeting the TV channel by the State Bureau of Investigation and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting, as “Detektor Media” reported.
"We ask to assess the above mentioned and to take measures to respond to outright pressure and politically motivated persecution of the broadcaster, namely to call on the State Bureau of Investigation and the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting to stop illegal activiities aimed at restricting the dissemination of objective information in the Ukrainian news landscape," Pryamyy’s letter read.
Pryamyy TV channel said that they have been "under total pressure from the authorities" for more than a year. In particular, the channel's editorial office reminded of the statement of the head of the SBI investigative group Oleh Koretsky, who spoke about the pressure in the case of Pryamyy TV channel ". According to him, the first deputy director of the SBI, Oleksandr Babikov, set a task to seize the TV channel, by previously recognizing it as material evidence. The editorial board also noted that the National Council had failed to consider the Pryamyy’s application for renewal of broadcasting license since December 2019, but instead scheduled three inspections during the first half of the year.
As of today, given the actions of the State Bureau of Investigation, which have been carried out since the summer of last year, and the actions of the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting in January-June 2020, in our opinion, there is a meticulously planned attack against the Pryamyy TV channel aiming at closure of this TV channel, "the channel said.
IMI reported, 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.
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