(Washington) - United States Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) today renewed his concern about recent apparent attempts by Ukrainian police to intimidate media looking into allegations linking Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma and top aides to the disappearance of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze.

"The media must be allowed to report and comment without fear of duress, even if their reports allege improprieties by high-ranking officials or are critical of the government response to these allegations," said Chairman Smith. "Freedom of the media is a fundamental element of any democracy. Attempts to intimidate the media for publishing or broadcasting criticism of the government are contrary to Ukraine's international commitments regarding freedom of the media, including its OSCE commitments."

In another of the country's media intimidation cases, a Ukrainian Security Service officer reportedly threatened the head of Radio Liberty's Ukrainian Service based in Prague with the termination of its activities in Ukraine if Radio Liberty continued to "one-sidedly" cover developments in the Gongadze case.

The Ukrainian State Tax Administration police last week raided the offices of the Eastern Economist and threatened officials with closure after the weekly publication recently ran an editorial critical of the government's lack of effectiveness in dealing with the growing scandal surrounding the Gongadze case.

Chairman Smith urged the Ukrainian Government to undertake a speedy, serious, open and transparent investigation into the remains believed to be those of Gongadze. Smith also expressed hope that the Ukrainian parliament would continue its efforts to seriously examine allegations concerning official involvement in Gongadze's disappearance, and do so without hindrance.

"It is in Ukraine's best interest to resolve this grave matter in a timely and just manner before the case further tarnishes the government's credibility in dealing with fundamental human rights," said Chairman Smith.

On September 16, Ukrainian investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze, editor of an Internet newspaper critical of official, high-level corruption in Ukraine, disappeared. In early November, a body believed to be Gongadze's was found outside Kyiv.

On November 28, Oleksander Moroz, leader of the opposition Socialist Party, made public sensational tape recordings purportedly of President Kuchma and two top aides suggesting how they could deal with Gongadze. Moroz received the tapes from an officer of the Ukrainian Security Service who is now in hiding in Western Europe.

HELSINKI COMMISSION NEWS
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
234 Ford House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-6460
Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Co-Chairman
Contact: Ben Anderson (202) 225-1901
www.house.gov/csce

(Legislative day of Thursday, October 05, 2000)
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH
of New Jersey

Mr. Speaker, it has been almost three weeks since the highly disturbing disappearance of Heorhii Gongadze, a journalist known for his articles exposing corruption in the Ukraine and for playing a prominent role in defending media freedoms. Mr. Gongadze, whose visit to the United States last December included meetings with the Helsinki Commission staff, was publisher of a new Internet newspaper called Ukrainska Pravda (meaning Ukrainian Truth), a publication often critical of senior Ukrainian officials and their associates. In fact, shortly before he vanished, Mr. Gongadze had apparently been facing pressure and threats and had complained that police were harassing him and his colleagues at Ukrainska Pravda.

Unfortunately, Mr. Gongadze's disappearance takes place in an increasingly unhealthy media environment. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, his disappearance follows several suspect or inconclusive investigations into the suspicious deaths of several Ukrainian journalists over the last few years and the beatings of two journalists following their articles about official corruption this year. This disappearance has occurred within an environment which has made it increasingly difficult for professional journalists to operate, including harassment by tax police, criminal libel prosecutions, the denial of access to state-controlled newsprint and printing presses, and phone calls to editors suggesting that they censure certain stories. Such an atmosphere clearly has a chilling effect on press freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I am encouraged that the Verkhovna Rada-- Ukraine's parliament--has formed a special ad hoc committee to investigate Mr. Gongadze's disappearance. I am also hopeful that the Ukraine's Ministry of Internal Affairs and other law enforcement agencies will conduct a serious, vigorous investigation to solve the case of this missing journalist.

As Chairman of the Helsinki Commission and as someone who has a longstanding interest in Ukraine, I am deeply disappointed that Ukraine's relatively positive human rights record has been tarnished by an environment not conducive to the development of a free media. I remain hopeful that the Ukrainian authorities will make every effort to reverse this situation.