19 November 2002

Alert

Body of journalist Mikhail Kolomiyets discovered


Incident details

Mikhail Kolomiyets



(WAN/IFEX) - In a 19 November 2002 letter to Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma, WAN expressed its grave concern over the reported discovery of the body of journalist Mikhail Kolomiyets.




According to reports, the body of Kolomiyets, founder and director of the financial news agency Ukrainian News in Kiev, who went missing on 21 October, has been found hanged in an apartment in Belarus. Following his disappearance, Kolomiyets' colleagues asked national authorities to investigate his disappearance, fearing that he had been targeted because of his agency's reporting.

Shortly after the body was discovered, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry stated that Kolomiyets' death was suicide and that there was no link to his professional activities.

Recommended Action


Send appeals to the president:
- noting that while you respect the ministry's desire to deal with this matter as expeditiously as possible, a full and impartial investigation into Kolomiyets' disappearance and death should be held



Appeals To


His Excellency Leonid Kuchma
President of Ukraine
Kiev, Ukraine
C/o Permanent Representative to UN
E-mail: ukraine@un.int

Please copy appeals to WAN.










Source:

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More on this case

RSF calls for more tests in journalist's death and continuation of inquiry 13 February 2003 IPI concerned about events surrounding journalist's death 28 November 2002 RSF offers independent expert to help investigation into journalist's disappearance 20 November 2002 Journalist missing 6 November 2002

At a glance

Ukraine
Ukraine

IFEX members working in this country 1

 
Key reports and information
  • Ukraine 2012 press freedom violations

    The Institute of Mass Information has created a map highlighting press freedom violations related to the October 28 parliamentary election.

    Institute of Mass Information 30 October 2012

  • Attacks on the Press in 2011: Ukraine

    Government officials play down incidents of violence against journalists, claim most attacks "not work-related"

    Committee to Protect Journalists 21 February 2012

  • Press Freedom Index 2011-2012: Ukraine

    "Negative tendencies" towards suppression of freedom of expression follow Viktor Yanukovych’s installation as president

    Reporters Without Borders 26 January 2012

 
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