Pressure on Chief Editor to reveal sources

Journalists and civic activists are demanding that the Prosecutor stop unlawful pressure on the Chief Editor of the Dnipropetrovsk newspaper “Litsa” Olena Harahuts over publications on corruption and raider seizures.

Their appeal expresses concern over attempts by the Prosecutor’s office to interfere in the professional activities of journalists and over their demands that the sources for the information in two examples, in particular, be revealed.

“We consider that the administrative offence protocol drawn up by the Kyirovsky District Prosecutor in Dnipropetrovsk on 22 February 2012 is a clearly disproportionate intrusion by a State body in freedom of expression of views as protected by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms”.

They point out also that Article 26 of the Law on the Printed Press guarantees each journalist the right to not reveal authorship and sources of information.  The requisite extraordinary need for the protection of the State interest has not been demonstrated, they say.  They also point out that this intrusion is possible only on the basis of a court order.  None of the above demands have been met.

Their appeal can be endorsed at [email protected]