The Kalashnikov case has been passed to the Prosecutor’s office

On 14 July 2006 the Prosecutor’s office of the Pechersky District Court in Kyiv initiated a criminal investigation into an apparent crime under Article 171 § 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine over the interference with the legitimate professional activities of journalists from the closed joint stock company “International Media Centre STB” Volodymyr. Novosad and Margarita. Sytnyk while filming near the premises of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

As UNIAN reported, on 12 July a group of Deputies from the Party of the Regions, among them Oleh Kalashnikov, forcibly removed a video cassette from the STB filming crew and beat up the journalists.*  The police are investigating.

*  This is what the text says, however according to the Kyiv Independent Media Trade Union, only V. Novosad was physically assaulted.  (translator’s note)