The following is the statement by MIP regarding attacks on the Hromadske TV (Public TV) journalist of Dmytro Replianchyk and the UNIAN correspondent Serhiy Lefter.
On October 24, a number of media outlets reported an attack on Dmytro Replianchyk, a journalist of Hromadske TV, and the detention of Serhiy Lefter, UNIAN correspondent, as they covered events at the Sviatoshyn Court of Kyiv.
MIP is concerned about the attack on the journalists and acts which may meet the criteria of a crime under article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Deliberate Obstruction of the Lawful Professional Activity of the Journalist”.
It is stressed that obstruction of the professional activity of journalists is unacceptable.
With this in view, MIP has appealed to the Security Service of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor-General of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine to investigate, immediately and appropriately, the above incidents and inform MIP of its results.
The Ministry systemically monitors violations of rights and freedoms of journalists in Ukraine in cooperation with other bodies of state power, with international organizations in order to reduce and prevent such cases happening.