getLinks(); ?>
News from and about Ukraine & Ukrainians: Ukrainian Community Press Releases
getLinks();
?>
BRAMA, September 22, 2000, 12:00pm EDT
UKRAINE Georgiy Gongazde, journalist
London (20 September 2000) – Independent journalist Georgiy Gongazde has been missing since 16 September. Amnesty International believes he may have been secretly detained either by the authorities or by one of the powerful interests he has offended with his journalism, and that he is at risk of torture, ill-treatment or "disappearance".
Georgiy Gongazde reportedly left a friend's house on Lesya Ukrayinka Boulevard, in the capital, Kiev, at around 10.20pm, but failed to return home to his wife and two three-year-old children.
His wife and friends reportedly contacted hospitals and emergency centres in the city to try to find him.
Georgiy Gongazde is the head of the internet newspaper Ukrayinskaya Pravda (Ukrainian Truth). Ukrayinskaya Pravda is reportedly one of a few media outlets that have been highly critical of the government and its alleged links with corrupt big business.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Georgiy Gongazde had complained that police had threatened and intimidated him because of his work as a journalist. In June 2000 he reportedly wrote an open letter to the Procurator General after he was forced into hiding by police harassment. He has also alleged that his colleagues at Ukrayinskaya Pravda have been harassed repeatedly.
Ukraine has been frequently faced international criticism for its lack of genuine press freedom. The US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) included the Ukrainian President, Leonid Kuchma, in its 1999 list of the world's 10 worst enemies of the press. In its 1999 country report on Ukraine, the CPJ stated: "Over the past several years, Ukrainian press freedom has deteriorated to such an extent that Ukraine, unlike even neighbouring Belarus, now lacks any genuinely independent major news media".
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/faxes/express/airmail letters in English, Russian or your own language:
APPEALS TO :
(Please note: we have experienced considerable problems
sending faxes to Ukraine. If you hear a voice say `fax' and wait until
the recipient turns on the fax machine. If problems persist please put
your appeals in the post)
President of Ukraine Leonid Danilovich KUCHMA
Ukraina
252220 g. Kiev
ul. Bankovaya, 7
Prezidentu Ukrainy
KUCHMA L.D.
UKRAINE
Fax: 00 380 44 293 2093 / 226 31 69 / 229 66 31
E-mail: postmaster@ribbon.kiev.ua
Telegrams: Prezidentu Kuchma, Kiev, Ukraine
[Salutation: Dear President]
Procurator General of Ukraine Mykhaylo POTEBENKO
Ukraina
252601 g. Kiev-II
ul. Reznitskaya, 13/15
Prokuratura Ukrainy
Generalnomu prokuroru
POTEBENKO M.
UKRAINE
Fax: 00 380 44 296 89 03
Telegrams: Prokuratura, Kiev, Ukraine
[Salutation: Dear Procurator General]
Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Yuriy Fyodrovich
KRAVCHENKO
Ukraina
252024 g. Kiev
ul. Bogomoltsa, 10
Ministerstvo vnutrennikh del Ukrainy
Ministru KRAVCHENKO Yu.F.
UKRAINE
Fax: 00 380 44 291 17 33 / 291 3778
Telegrams: Ministru vnutrennikh del, Kiev, Ukraine
[Salutation: Dear Minister]
PLEASE SEND COPIES OF YOUR APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Professor
Volodymyr Vassylenko, Embassy of Ukraine, 60 Holland
Park, London
W11 3SJ. Fax: 020 7792 1708
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
If you have any queries about this Urgent Action
Ray Mitchell / Becky Hess
Amnesty International UK Section
99 - 119 Rosebery Avenue
London EC1R 4RE email: ua@amnesty.org.uk
More Community Press Releases -- Click Here
Comments and observations about this article and other news
may be posted to the Press Comment Board
|
|