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Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Cherkasy Journalists Flee Persecution

20 July, 1999 - 00:00

Some flee, others use fire extinguishers

By Yevhen BRUSLYNOVSKY, The Day
Already the first session of the government freedom of expression commission
set up recently under the auspices of Cherkasy City Council made it clear
that local journalists were suffering from pressure from the powers that
be. Valery Vorotnyk, editor of the regional newspaper Antena (which
quite often carries rather critical articles), shares his impressions from
meetings with the local tax authorities. He was summoned to an office and
began to be threatened with a non-existent case in which he was allegedly
involved. Tired of ungrounded accusations hurled in his face, Mr. Vorotnyk
rose to leave but was stopped with a tax inspector's fist driven hard into
his chest. He fell. Others in the room got panicky at this turn of events,
so the editor got up and fled. Valentyn Selezen, manager of Cherkasy's
UTS-Center Television Co. related how his staff woman journalist Natalia
Andropova is being persecuted by the local authorities. After her Presidential
Marathon program went on the air, featuring Yevhen Marchuk's visit as a
presidential candidate, she received anonymous threats by phone for several
days, and then, at 3 p.m., someone hurled a burning box through her apartment
window and the fire (and much worse consequences) was prevented by sheer
miracle.

Anatoly Dzhabolda, head of the newly formed commission, secretary of
Cherkasy City Council, told The Day that this structure had to be
formed due to a serious collision between regional authorities and the
media, breaches of the tax laws, and growing Presidential Administration
pressure on power structures; after all, one had to protect the populace,
journalists included. However, Mr. Dzhabolda believes that his commission
lacks the means to influence the local situation, except making public
facts of persecution and supporting victims during court hearings. Thus
local journalists, to preserve their health, will have to take to jogging,
equip themselves with fire extinguishers, and spend sleepless nights sitting
behind locked doors and windows, waiting for another provocation. Incidentally,
it became known that Natalia Andropova visited a local meat-and-vegetable
market and bought a portable fire extinguisher. If the worst comes to worst,
she will be able to put out the fire and protect herself against physical
assault.

Cherkasy

 

 

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