Journalists asked to send Kalashnikov to Coventry

The public council for the defence of freedom of speech “Mediarada” has called on journalists to demonstrate professional solidarity and continue their information boycott of Oleh Kalashnikov.

“We cannot stand aside from precedents when they insult and obstruct the work of our colleagues. … It was frustrating to see how some journalist colleagues went up to the Deputy for commentaries on subjects not linked to this conflict”, the statement reads.

“Are they not afraid that tomorrow some other “Kalashnikov” will smash their video, or also their face in, and colleagues will act as if nothing has happened?”

Mediarada also expresses outrage over the way the investigation into the incident has been dragged out.

As citizens of a country aspiring to the status of a European democracy, we are ashamed that our journalists should have to defend their rights somewhere like the European Court of Human Rights since their own authorities aren’t able to defend them.”

As reported yesterday, on 12 July 2007 it was exactly a year since the assault on STB journalists by Oleh Kalashnikov, National Deputy from the Party of the Regions.

The anniversary was marked yesterday by a statement that the journalists would be seeking justice at the European Court of Human Rights, and also by an announcement that the Prosecutor General had given instructions to investigate whether the decision to terminate the criminal investigation over obstruction of the journalists’ work had been justified.

Kalashnikov himself on 13 July stated that he hadn’t attacked the journalists but had just “told hem off”.

www.pravda.com.ua  (slightly adapted)