Kharkiv journalists condemn harassment of A/TVK colleague

The Kharkiv Regional Branch of the National Union of Journalists has issued a statement demanding that the law enforcement bodies thoroughly investigate and punish those harassing the Director of Channel A/TVK Yelena Barannyk.

They state that their colleague – a member of the Union of Journalists and Director of the television channel “Pravo-A/TVK”, Yelena Barannyk is being subjected to psychological pressure by unidentified individuals who are spreading anonymous defamatory letters.  They are given out to students, announcements are posted about a meeting on the block where she lives, suggesting that neighbours discuss her at “the meeting” and her mobile telephone number has been published in advertisements.

The television channel “Pravo-A/TVK”, which was removed from air on 14 September last year, has still not been able to begin broadcasting again. Yelena Barannyk as the Director of the television company has been fighting all that time to have the channel returned to Kharkiv screens. We see a link between the situation with Channel “Pravo-A/TVK” and the fact that a witch hunt has begun of its director.

We are extremely concerned by this situation and call on journalists to demonstrate professional solidarity and demand that the law enforcement bodies thoroughly investigate and punish those responsible for the harassment. Especially since Yelena Barannyk has already reported this to the Prosecutor”.

Board of the Kharkiv Regional Branch of the National Union of Journalists

15.02.2012”