Channel 5 journalist complains of police obstruction

Azad Safarov TV Channel 5 has lodged a statement with the Ministry of the Interior regarding obstruction of his professional activities. He has also asked for assistance from the Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech.

He alleges that on 31 March the Deputy Head of the Svyatoshynsk District Police Station, Mykola Zeva elbowed him in the face and then pushed his hand with the microphone away several times very roughly when Azad Safranov tried to find out his name and position.

This took place during a protest against tree-felling in the Kyiv-Svyatoshynsk Forest-Park on 31 March.

Mr Safarov demands an investigation and wants to know specifically whether Zeva had the right to do the following:

1. To hit a journalist while the latter was carrying out his professional duties;

2.  To push a journalist’s microphone away roughly with the use of physical force;

3.  To order his subordinates to use their weapons against the peaceful protesters.1.

4.  To refuse to show his identification when asked by members of the public and the journalist;

5.  To call Ukraine “a country of idiots” in a conversation by telephone with his boss (after the scuffle).

On Monday evening a statement was issued by a number of media and civic organizations endorsing Mr Safarov’s demands.