(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the severity of the suspended three-year prison sentence handed down to Vasyl Herus, former editor-in-chief of the weekly “Sim Dniv” (“Seven Days”), for publishing a false electoral programme for Viktor Yushchenko, in the form of political advertising, days ahead of the second round of presidential elections. On 21 July 2005, […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has condemned the severity of the suspended three-year prison sentence handed down to Vasyl Herus, former editor-in-chief of the weekly “Sim Dniv” (“Seven Days”), for publishing a false electoral programme for Viktor Yushchenko, in the form of political advertising, days ahead of the second round of presidential elections.
On 21 July 2005, the municipal court in Rivne, northwestern Ukraine, sentenced Herus for the 19 November 2004 article.
“We deplore the severity of the sentence against Vasyl Herus. The journalist did indeed display a lack of care in publishing false information in advertising form, but one wonders why the author of this false electoral programme, and whoever was behind it, have not been investigated,” RSF said.
Herus signed a contract with the pro-Yanukovich Party of Regions to publish two articles entitled, “The Political Objectives of Victor Yushchenko” and “The Political Objectives of Viktor Yanukovich” in the form of advertising editorials. They were carried in “Sim Dniv”, which has a circulation of 5,000 copies.
“The content of the false political programme was in effect classic counter-advertising, ascribing quite crazy political intentions to Viktor Yushchenko,” admitted Svetlana Kolko, the new editor-in-chief of “Sim Dniv”. “But when the newspaper received it, the disk was already formatted in such a way that it was difficult to check the contents. We were taken in as well,” she told RSF.
Judge Viktor Koukharets, of the Rivne Municipal Court, cited Article 161 (racial, national or religious discrimination) and Article 157 (infringing citizens’ electoral rights) of the criminal code and gave Herus a suspended three-year sentence with one year probation. He was also ordered to make a public apology to President Yushchenko.
Herus believes he complied with Ukraine’s advertising law and plans to appeal.
