Stop Censorship calls on journalists to gather at Mezhyhirya

On Sunday 5 June, the civic movement Stop Censorship issued a call to journalists to gather at Mezhyhirya to monitor how the court ruling banning their planned peaceful protest action will be implemented.

Stop Censorship believes that the ruling of the Kyiv District Administrative Court from 4 June 2011 banning the protest near the President’s residence, Mezhyhirya, is absurd and not based on law.

“The right of peaceful assembly is guaranteed by Ukraine’s Constitution and cannot be restricted. Prohibiting a peaceful gathering of journalists under the pretext of protecting the President’s right to rest outside working hours is comical and devoid of commonsense”.

“We are forced to give up organizing the peaceful gathering. At the same time we call on our colleagues, representatives of the Ukrainian media, on 6 June at 8.00 to come and monitor enforcement of the court ruling on the spot”.

Stop Censorship stress that “according to the new version of the Law on Information, safeguards of journalists’ work extend to anybody who can provide documents confirming their profession (ID of a media outlet, a journalists’ diploma or membership ticket of a journalist organization”.

As reported, one year after President Yanukovych’s promise to journalists that they could visit his reportedly sumptuous residence Mezhyhirya came to nothing, Stop Censorship had planned a protest near Mezhyhirya.  This was announced on Friday, with the action, aimed at reminding Yanukovych of his promise, timed to coincide with Journalist Day, on 6 June. On Saturday, the Village Head of Novi Petrivtsi Rodion Starenki obligingly filed an application with the court to have this banned. 

Equally obligingly, the court allowed this application