(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern further to the non-publication of the opposition weekly “Politika” in Kiev. According to RSF’s information, since the Kiev court authorised the resumption of publication on 17 February 1999, none of the city’s printers, the most important of which are state-owned, have accepted to print “Politika”. **Updates IFEX alert of […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF is expressing concern further to the non-publication of
the opposition weekly “Politika” in Kiev. According to RSF’s
information, since the Kiev court authorised the resumption of
publication on 17 February 1999, none of the city’s printers, the most
important of which are state-owned, have accepted to print “Politika”.
**Updates IFEX alert of 6 January 1999**
Background Information
RSF recalls that this opposition weekly has not been published on a
regular basis since May 1998. The newspaper’s bank accounts were frozen
by the public prosecutor’s office further to a series of articles
concerning individuals close to President Leonid Koutchma. Asked to
intervene by the newspaper in December, Kiev’s Supreme Court ruled that
the measure was illegal. Nonetheless, “Politika” was suspended for the
same reasons by the Petcherskij district court of Kiev in October 1998.
On 12 January 1999, Ukraine’s Supreme Court referred the case back to
the city of Kiev’s court, which has just annuled the district court’s
decision.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the Information Minister:
begin publishing anew
Appeals To
Mr. Oleg Bay
Minister of Information
Ukraine
Fax: +380 44 228 09 01
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
