Appeal Court to reconsider trauma to National Deputy over the word turncoat

The Kyiv Court of Appeal has revoked its ruling which upheld that of the Podilsky District Court.  This had allowed the civil suit brought by National Deputy Yury But against Olha Snitsarchuk from TV Channel 5 and awarded him 20 thousand UAH in damages for her use of the word “vidshchepenets” [turncoat, renegade] about him.

More details about these extraordinary rulings can be found in the report “A Traumatized Turncoat vs. Press Freedom” (http://kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/85376/)

Olha Snitsarchuk told Telekritika that Yury But himself turned to the Appeal Court asking them to review the case due to new circumstances. “According to the laws, these new circumstances are that I, in But’s opinion, cannot afford to pay 20 thousand UAH. As far as I can understand, he wants a show “beating”, for me to be punished, re-educated, but not for 20 thousand UAH (I don’t know what amount is in question, and whether an amount is involved at all). For me this is unacceptable since I consider that I used a value judgment which represented fact. Therefore I believe that the court should revoke the Podilsky Court ruling.”

She also said that she had only learned of the Appeal Court’s ruling today, and that neither she nor Channel 5 had been informed.

Reported at http://telekritika.ua/news/2010-10-08/56478