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Point of View

Does it honour you?

By Victoria Sumar

Today Vecherniy Kharkiv daily and Status quo online edition came out with a report that police officers had suffered bodily injuries as a result of a search operation at the apartment of Vyacheslav Ismaylov.

Actually, the both editions referred to a press release issued by the ministry of the Interior saying “when the above-cited citizen was informed through the house intercom we had to proceed with a search, he began uttering some obscenities and said he would use a firearm, if police officers approached his apartment”.

“Thus, we took a decision to call “Berkut” special force unit officers with the intent to force the entry door. The operation was conducted in presence of search witnesses and a representative of the local government body.

“As the apartment was searched, the journalist’s behaviour, as well as this one of his sons and wife was cynical, they used bad language, threatened the police officers with a physical violence and dismissals from the ministry of the Interior.The police officers recorded all that on video”.

Frankly, it is hard to imagine how some unarmed persons could threaten the armed cap-a-pie “Berkut”-men with a physical violence.

Our journalist who is investigating the Klymentyev’s case now, was present at the scene. He said several times they called an ambulance for Ismaylov's wife, in order to prevent syncope. Not only she was unable to threaten anybody, she could not speak, as she was shocked by such a number of masked men armed with Kalashnikovs assault rifles.

There were five “Berkut”-men for each person in the apartment, and these brave soldiers, as it was found out, suffered physical violence…

Ismaylov was crying they tried to plant some white powder to his apartment, the journalists heard it. And today the police reported they did find drugs in the apartment…

So, I would like to ask these men with shoulder straps, who had signed this press release, and maybe this is a naïve question: have you ever heard what honour is?

All this smells a bad movie. But, unfortunately, this is Ukraine's reality. This is a semi-criminal state where human rights is nonentity, where nor law, neither legitimacy exist. This is a country where its citizens are totally unarmed in front of the arbitrary rule of those who are supposed to protect them. This is Ukraine in 2010.

Is this Ukraine for people?

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About us

The Institute of Mass Information

The Institute of Mass Information [IMI]is a Ukrainian non-governmental organization that researches mass information in modern society (available in Ukrainian, English, and French). Established in 1995 by a group of Ukrainian journalists, the objectives of the Institute of Mass Information include:

Defending freedom of speech

Supporting Ukrainian mass media

Training Ukrainian journalists

Monitoring the rights of journalists and media; attempts or pressure inflicted upon them; ongoing criminal trials involving mass media and authorities

Researching public opinion

In 2001 the IMI became a partner of the international watchdog organization Reporters Without Borders. Since IMI has become an exclusive correspondent to the international organization Reporters Without Borders. In co-operation with Reporters Without Borders and other influential international organizations as well as with leading experts in the defense of freedom of speech, the Institute of Mass Information carries out a number of projects aimed at defending freedom of speech in Ukraine. The latest news on mass media development is available on the IMI web site.

Larger projects carried out by the Institute of Mass Information include:

Media Seminars
The main activity of the Institute is to train Ukrainian journalists in accordance with Western European standards of journalism. Study seminars for journalists are one of the first projects of the IMI. The seminars are organized in collaboration with The Center for Journalism Development [CFPJ]. Each seminar IMI organizes is based on the study materials provided by the CFPJ.

Since the establishment of IMI, 38 seminars for journalists have been held. In cooperation with PariCentre de la Formation et du Perfectionnement des Journalistes [CFPJ] 21 seminars took place between 1996-2001.

In co-operation with Reporters Without Borders we organized 10 seminars from 1998-2002.

In co-operation with world campaign for freedom of speech “Article 19” we conducted 5 seminars. Together with Netherlands-based organization Press Now and French organization Agence France Presse we conducted 1 seminar with each organization. Following the seminars IMI published text-books and reference manuals detailing the information that was shared at the media seminars.

Round-table Talks and Forums
In 2002 IMI in cooperation with the Center of Judicial Studies conducted four Round-table discussions for journalists and press lawyers to study various aspects of press freedom in Ukraine. The events were held in Kyiv, Odesa, Dniepropetrovsk and Lviv.

In 2003 IMI conducted three Round-table talks in cooperation with international organization “Article XIX” (“Actual situation state of guaranteeing of an access to the information to journalists”) and in cooperation with Human Rights Watch (“State of press freedom in Ukraine” 2003).

In June 2003 IMI co-organised a forum for Ukrainian journalists titled “Legal Self-Defence.” The forum was assisted by the Parliamentary Committee on Free Speech and Information and the Public Council on Free Speech and Information.

Educational Materials
IMI has produced 17 textbooks for journalists in co-operation with the Reporters Without Borders and the Center for Journalism Development [CFPJ]:

“Survival Manual for Journalists” [1997]
“Practical Guide for Journalists Defending Free Speech” [1998]
“Economic Journalism” [1998]
“Journalists’ Guide” [1999]
“Journalists’ Daily Work” [2000]
“The Internet in Journalists’ Work” [2000]
“Ticket to the www” [2000]
“Guide for Newspaper Journalists” [2000]
“Techniques of Interviewing” [2000]
“Techniques of Reporting" [2000]
“History of the Press and the Authorities” [2001]
“Reporting in the Print Media” [2001]
“Computer Graphics in the Press” [2001]
“Investigation” [2001]
“History of the Press and the Authorities” in Ukrainian [2002]
“History of the Press and the Authorities” in English and French [2002]
“History of the Press and the Authorities” in Ukrainian [2003]
“History of the Press and the Authorities” in English [2003]
“Journalists’ Legal Self-Defence” [2003] (this book was published by IMI, Parliamentary Committee on Free Speech, Public Council on Free Speech and Information) Monitoring
“Journalistic Investigation” [2005-2006]
“Economic Journalism” [2005-2006]
“Interview Technique” [2005-2006]
“Reporting Technique” [2005-2006]
“Journalism of International Affairs in Press” [2005-2006]

Published summaries of all discussions and themes that were touched upon at the various conferences, seminars and forums are available to those who are interested. It is one of our mandates to make this information available to those who are interested.

"Vilny Mikrofon" ["Free Microphone"]
A periodical put out annually by the Institute of Mass Information which includes information of the media climate for the respective year. "Vilny Mikrofon" is distributed to all journalist organizations in Ukraine. This periodical includes a listing of infractions committed against journalists within that respective year.

Press Freedom Barometer
With the assistance of Reporters Without Borders, the International Renaissance Foundation, and information collected by our correspondents, we are currently keeping a barometer of press freedom violations. This barometer can be found on our website.

Political Cartoons
Recently IMI announced an International Cartoon Contest “Freedom And Its Limits.” This is the third annual competition of cartoonists from all over the world. The first was titled “Press and Power”and was held in 2001; the second, “Press and Elections” in 2002.

Legal Bureau
The IMI Legal Bureau was created in 2001. Currently it consists of two staff legal experts. In addition, IMI employs lawyers contractually. IMI lawyers travel to the provinces and analyze existing Ukrainian media legislation, observe court hearings on media cases and provide journalists with consultations.

In accordance with a Memorandum signed by IMI and the State Tax Administration of Ukraine, IMI representatives are able to attend regular inspections of media centers by tax officers. We also, provide journalists/media with audit services. IMI has hired a financial auditor, who is able to assist journalists who are in possible financial turmoil.

In depth
The murder of Taras Protsiuk
Reuters cameraman Taras Protsiuk, 35, died on April 8th 2003, when a US tank shell hit the Baghdad hotel where many foreign journalists where staying. The Pentagon reported “that it had been a bad accident and not an error from the part of its servicemen. The action was fully in accordance with the rules of engagement”. However, IMI together with the National Union of Journalists of Britain and Ireland, demand that the US tank crew members be held responsible for the death of Protsiuk and all other victims. Protsiuk’s parents contacted IMI in an attempt to garner attention in this matter and are seeking financial restitution for the death of their son.
Appeals have been made by IMI asking that US authorities compensate the Protsiuk’s for the death of their son. IMI will continue to monitor this case.

The murder of Georgiy Gongadze
On November 8th, 2005, Myroslava Gongadze won the case against Ukraine in the European Court of Human Rights. IMI enlisted and worked in collaboration with Gongadze’s legal representative, Sylvia Preuss-Laussinotte. More information on this ruling can be found on our website.

Correspondents
Our correspondents are scattered all over Ukraine. They provide us with information that parallels our objectives. Correspondents materials can be found on our web-site www.imi.org.ua

Blvd Lesi Ukrainki 36-b, k. 68
01133 Kyiv, Ukraine
tel/fax: +380-44-461-9023; 285-7762
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The Ukraine MPs are going to resume an old practice of criminal liability for libel. May 17, the MP Vasyl Kyselyov, who had been elected as a member of the Party of Regions list, has submitted a respective bill at the parliament (Verkhovna Rada).
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Debate

At the beginning of June several attempts to restrict the journalists’ rights have been reported

Wednesday, 09 June 2010
The first week of June and the last week of May a number of incidents have been reported which are evidence of attempts made by new Administration of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers and some representatives of the governing party in the regions to restrict rights and freedoms of the mass media and Ukraine’s citizens. These are alarming attempts of the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and, being in his second job, co-owner of the most important TV channel to exert influence on procedure of delivering the authorizations to broadcast for two independent and critical towards authorities TV channels, Channel 5 and TVi. As response to this pressure the journalists have started a campaign “Stop to censorship!”, held the Journalist’s Day. One should remark, the action which involved several prominent journalists from national TV channels has not been even mentioned in the news at these TV channels. These are facts involving pressure by government bodies.
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