Journalist breached no professional ethics – unlike National Deputy Tkachenko

The Journalist Ethics Commission has found that the STB filming crew involved in a confrontation with National Deputy Oleksandr Tkachenko from the Communist Party did not infringe the Code of Professional Ethics.

The official judgment was issued by the Commission on 10 September. It concerns an incident outside the Verkhovna Rada when STB Special Correspondent Olha Chervakova attempted to find out from Mr Tkachenko why he had called the day before for journalists to not be allowed into the parliamentary buffet. He did not answer, just first hit out at the microphone, and then grabbed it and took it upstairs to the third floor where he threw it down and it fell into the basement. All of this was recorded on video.

Olha Chervakova was supported by fellow journalists and the Kyiv Independent Media Trade Union.

On 9 September the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information decided that Tkachenko must publicly apologize for his behaviour.

Ms Chervakova also informs that the police have passed the case to the Prosecutor and the first meeting of the filming crew with the investigators was scheduled for Thursday.

The Commission considered this case on Ms Chervakova’s request,  It viewed the video footage, and found that the journalist had behaved in accordance with professional ethics.

The Commission welcomed the fact that the journalists turned to the law enforcement bodies over a case involving obstruction of their professional activities, as well as the decision by the parliamentary committee. It expresses the hope that the Prosecutor and later court will classify the actions of a public official in accordance with the law.

From information at: http://telekritika.ua/news/2009-09-10/47843