Ukraine again comes back to confrontation of press and

Freedom of speech monitoring, conducted by Institute of Mass Information, in April again shows strengthening of pressure onto the journalists and increasing a number of cases connected with obstructing to their professional activities. It was the first time for the last 20 years of independence in Ukraine that journalists were not allowed to enter the Parliament during blocking of the tribune.

In March 2012 Institute of Mass Information (ІМІ) recorded 6 cases of abusing, attacking and intimidation of media reps. In total, 15 cases of violation of journalists’ rights.The most high-profile facts were cases of intimidation to Olena Barannyk and Irena Rubashko, two directors of TV channels A/TVC and Fora in Kharkiv and massacre of Rostyslav Shaposhnikov, a co-founder Road Control (Dorozhny Kontrol) Internet newspaper. Important facts

January, 16, 2012 Representatives of the Office of State Guard of Ukraine didn’t allow the TVi journalists to videotape Victor Yanukovych’s cortege, leaving the residence Mezhyhirria.  Anastasia Stanko, a TVi journalist, told us about it. Accorging to her, the situation occurred again in the evening, when camera crew tried to film as the President passed in his car. The guards were referring to the law that forbids to film cortege.  

February, 6, 2012 In Kyiv, Vynogradar region, during public patrolling by inhabitants some action connected with installation of small architectural forms (SAF) on the children and sports playgrounds, a journalist, filming the process, was abused. Representative of building company punched into her face Oksana Romaniuk, a journalist, a rep of International journalist organization Reporters Without Borders, who was filming the process of illegal actions on her cell phone.

December, 8, 2011.  Journalists of newspaper Segodnia announced pre-striking state because of disagreement with company policy of Olena Hromnytska, General Manager of Segodni Multimedia.   The staff prepared a claim, where they say that General Manager “does everything to stop clear and accepted before ways of action”.

The problem of obstruction of journalistic activities was one of the main problems of June. The trial of Yulia Tymoshenko aroused considerable media interest, but the judge did not provide normal working conditions in the courtroom, which was a serious problem. The current president, Viktor Yanukovych was also in the midst of media criticism this month. Presidential guards closed domestic and foreign journalists in the hall of president-hotel "Kyivskyi" after he left the hall.

November, 3, 2011. During the protest of veterans of Afghanistan and Chernobyl near Verhovna Rada about removal of benefits, some media journalists were injured. Police, regardless of the service certificates showed by journalists and photographers, drove them back in a rude way together with other protesters.   Maksym Trebuhov, a photographer, got the blows on the legs, fell and damaged his head and rib. A camera of ria News was also damaged.  

October, 3, 2011 In Donetsk Pavlo Kolesnyk, a journalist of Komsomolska Pravda in Ukraine, was robbed while trying to film expired products in Amstor supermarket. The journalist regards it as obstruction of journalist activities.  

September, 7, 2011 Alina Kotenko, a journalist of Reporter, was assaulted by Valeriy Neschotny, a secretary of  Public Council in Zaporizhia Regional Administration. The incident happened near the building of Zaporizhia Regional Administration. According to journalist, Mr Neschotny punched her in her stomach, pushed her onto the ground, kicked her and disappeared. As a result, she got numerous bruises and harmed her elbow.