27.09.2010

Ukrainians remain unconvinced of power via the ballot box

A survey by the sociological group “Rating”, has found that more than half of the Ukrainian voters questioned are most worried about rigging of the results of the October 31 Local Elections.

27.09.2010

“Stop Censorship!” to hold protest against SBU activities

The Stop Censorship Movement is to hold a protest action against unwarranted gathering of information about journalists and civic activists by the Security Service [SBU].

24.09.2010

Head of IMI asks Security Service to not intimidate her concierge

Victoria Syumar, Director of the Institute for Mass Information, has publicly asked the SBU [Security Service] to stop scaring the concierge of the block of apartments where she lives.

24.09.2010

SBU once again sniffing around a civic organization

Ukraine’s Security Service would now seem to be interested in finding out about the civic organization “Democratic Alliance” , specifically it’s work supported by international grants. According to the Press Service of the Democratic Alliance, on 21 September they received a telephone cass.

22.09.2010

Learned Impunity

It is not only children who learn better from visual aids. Things we see with our own eyes are always more convincing than any reports or commentaries. What they convince us of depends on the divide between what was seen and those accounts. As well as on where such information is available.

09.09.2010

TV journalists complain that their story was cut

The “Media Front” employees’ trade union has considered a complaint from TV STB Special Correspondent, Serhiy Andrushko that a feature on officials’ (lack of) knowledge of the Ukrainian language was prevented from being broadcast. The feature was ready for broadcast but did not end up in the news report.

08.09.2010

Call for Help from Crimean TV Company Chornomorska

Management and journalists from one of the largest and most popular television companies in the Crimea, Chornomorska, are calling on Ukrainian and foreign journalists and human rights campaigners for help. As reported, the tax police have frozen Chornomorska’s assets, while the Control and Audit Department has now begun a check. Chornomorska warns that nearer the elections the TV company may stop broadcasting as has already happened under Kuchma.

08.09.2010

SBU and democratic values

The Kommersant – Ukraine newspaper reports on the statement issued on Tuesday by the Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation [IRF] In it he reported that that several civic organizations in the Kyiv region carrying out projects financed by IRF had been approached by the Security Service [SBU]. They were asked for information about the aims and tasks of their projects, their financial component and assessment of their impact on the pre-election situation in Ukraine ((see http://www.khpg.org.ua/en/index.php?id=1283860850 ). IRF explain the SBU’s interest as impelled by the wish to create “managed democracy”

07.09.2010

OSCE media freedom representative calls for thorough and independent investigation into death of opposition website director in Belarus

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, said today she was troubled by the recent death of one of the leading journalists behind the Belarusian opposition website Charter97 and called for a thorough and independent investigation.

07.09.2010

SBU checks cooperation between International Renaissance Foundation and civic organization

The Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation [IRF] reports that several civic organizations in the Kyiv region carrying out projects financed by IRF have been approached by the Security Service [SBU]. They have been asked for information about the aims and tasks of their projects, their financial component and assessment of their impact on the pre-election situation in Ukraine. Since none of the projects have a political element, the meetings have ended on this note.

07.09.2010

Attempts to close the political talk shows on TV Chornomorska?

The BYuT [Tymoshenko’s bloc] Press Service alleges that the Security Service [SBU] and the Crimean Prosecutor are using any pretext to try to prevent the broadcasting of the daily talk show “Political evening with Volodymyr Andronaki on the Crimean TV channel Chornomorska.

07.09.2010

Bundestag Deputy slams authorities over Gorky Park lawlessness

With the tree-felling in Kharkiv and methods used, Ukraine will not draw nearer to the European Union. This warning was heard by Bundestag Deputy from the Greens, Viola von Kramon. The German Greens are supporting the defenders of Kharkiv’s Gorky Park.

04.09.2010

Two Ukrainian TV Stations Have Licences Revoked, Could Face Criminal Charges

The International Press Institute (IPI) expressed grave concern on 30 August 2010 for the state of media freedom in Ukraine after a court ruling forced one TV station off the air and limited the licences of another.

03.09.2010

Ukrainian youth show the police they know their rights

On 1 September, Day of Knowledge and the first day of school in Ukraine, human rights activists prepared a major action entitled “Defend yourself!”. The action was forced on them by systematic human rights violations by the police. The action was therefore aimed at raising the level of knowledge among young people on defending their rights in contact with police officers.

02.09.2010

Police continue to put pressure on Kharkiv civic organizations

The Kharkiv law enforcement bodies are putting pressure on activists from "Zeleny Front" [Green Front] and the civic group "Prorvyomsya!" ["We'll break through"]. On Thursday, at around 10 a.m. police and Special Force "Berkut" officers detained around 30 young people who were handing out leaflets with the title "Huge lies" in the city centre. According to Sergei Chetverikov from "Prorvyomsya!, who was himself detained, seven of them were taken to the Dzherzhynsky Police Station, the others were taken by Berkut officers to different district stations. He adds that the activists were detained without any accusations being laid. All leaflets, however, were removed with the officers claiming that it is not allowed to hand out material to passers-by in Kharkiv.

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