The police have opened a criminal case on the incident with three journalists, which happened during the hearing on an appeal against the detention of children’s cardiac surgeon Yulia Kuzmenko, a suspect in the case on the murder of journalist Pavlo Sheremet, at Kyiv Court of Appeal on Dec. 24.
The National Police of Ukraine reported on its Facebook page that three journalists have submitted to the police complaints about illegal actions against them. The investigators opened a case under Part 2 of Article 345-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (threats or violence against journalist). The crime is punishable with imprisonment for up to five years.
“Such illegal actions against journalists are unacceptable. The police will promptly tackle all such cases in line with the current legislation,” the police said.
According to the media, two journalists from the online publication Sharij.net came to the court hearing. Activists who came to support Kuzmenko circled one of them outside the court building and started to ask various questions and accuse him of separatism. The journalist said that some of the activists in the crowd kicked him several times, however the police officers, who were on duty near the court, did not react to such actions and the ambulance doctors examined him and said that he had no injuries.
A journalist from the publication Strana also said that she was threatened and offended by Kuzmenko’s supporters in the courtroom. She said that she managed to leave the courtroom only with the help of a “private structure” she did not name and also accused the police of slackness.
