17.02.2018, Kiev.
Heads of leading Ukrainian media outlets requested to cease the destruction of the freedom of speech in the country, Era-Media reports on February 16.
The collective appeal was addressed to the President of Ukraine Pyotr Poroshenko and diplomatic representatives of the E.U. and the U.S.
Violence is being committed against journalists in Ukraine, editorial boards are under pressure of law enforcement bodies and tax authorities, arsons of news agencies’ buildings occur, the appeal reads.
The authors of the appeal demand to withdraw representatives of authorities from the State Committee for Television and Radio-Broadcasting, as “practical duties of this body reduced to censorship, constant unplanned inspections, blackmailing of editorial boards in regards of license prolongation terms and alike”.
At the moment, the appeal was signed by ZIK media holding CEO, News One TV channel CEO, 112 Ukraine first deputy CEO, and the Era-Media editor-in-chief.
On February 8, 2018, the police conducted searches in the Vesti Ukraine media holding office in Kiev. A fire broke out during the searches. After that, the editor of the media Oksana Omelchenko made a public statement: “We were just preparing the second part of the investigation on the National Agency and its friends for printing… We are addressing all journalist colleagues, the whole media society, all human rights advocates and all opinion leaders with a request of maximum publicity in covering the unprecedented act of violence against the freedom of speech in Ukraine”
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
