Ukrainian journalist Alexander Lutsenko says threats have been issued against his family because of his journalistic activities.
(IMI/IFEX) – The editor of the Poltava newspaper’s events and comments column, Alexander Lutsenko, has said threats of “physical harm” have been issued against his wife and family because of his journalistic activities, reports the Kremenchuhskyy Telegraph.
According to Lutsenko, on 14 October his wife received a call from an unknown number in which a man threatened to seriously harm her. “A gruff male voice called her by name, listed her full residential address and threatened to stab her,” he said.
Lutsenko believes the threats are linked to his work, saying, “Right now we are conducting a series of investigations relating to photos and false information spread by opposition candidate against the deputies of Ukraine.”
Lutsenko noted that his wife filed a report with the police but two days later had not yet received a response. “I had to take my wife and two young children to another city and hide them,” he said. He also noted that for the last three weeks unknown hackers had tried to block his editorial team’s work by sending dozens of emails infected with computer viruses.
“The government and parliamentary candidates (. . .) do not like the truth that our journalists publish in the newspaper,” Lutsenko said.
