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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

Ivan CHYZH: "Since January the attack on freedom of expression has been going full blast"

20 April, 1999 - 00:00

The media and its dependence on the authorities could well
become a serious obstacle in developing a full-fledged relationship with
the Council of Europe. This problem was attached almost as much importance
by the CE Parliamentary Assembly in January as the nullification of capital
punishment in Ukraine. CE Monitoring Committee experts were rather categorical
in formulating the resolution they adopted: Ukrainian executive authorities
are trying to subjugate and monopolize the media, especially government-run
outlets.

"There are very few editors and companies capable of voicing their views
without risking retribution from the regime," Ivan Chyzh, Chairman of the
Verkhovna Rada Freedom of Expression and Information Committee, told
The Day. Suffice it to recall what happened to the Polityka and Dniprovska
pravda. Although there are sufficiently democratic laws in effect which
guarantee human rights and freedoms, including that of expression, those
in power seem to have made no conclusions from January's Strasbourg scandal.

"De facto the onslaught on the freedom of expression has been
going full blast since January," insists Mr. Chyzh. "Perhaps the biggest
problem is the regime's attempt to create most favorable, monopoly conditions
for a certain presidential candidate. This is especially true of state
television where all information is provided on a 'single-polarity' basis
and opposition leaders are barred access."

In late April Ukraine will report to the Parliamentary Assembly on the
fulfillment of all CE requirements. The Freedom of Expression and Information
Committee states that lawmakers will hold special hearings sometime in
May to force the authorities to make certain concessions before the crucial
PA meeting in June.

 

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