13 September 2001

Alert

One year of impunity for journalist Georgy Gongadze's killers


Incident details

Georgy Gongadze

journalist(s)

killed

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(RSF/IFEX) - The following is an RSF press release:

16 September 2001: One year of impunity for Ukrainian journalist Georgy Gongadze's killers

Reporters sans frontières (RSF) calls for the creation of an international commission of inquiry

16 September 2001 is the first anniversary of Ukrainian journalist Georgy Gongadze's disappearance. Gongadze's decapitated body was found several weeks later near Kiev.




Though thirteen journalists have been assassinated in Ukraine in the last five years, the Georgy Gongadze case marked a crucial turn. The murder of this young journalist, who denounced the regime's offences, served as a wake-up call to civil society in the country and led to the awareness abroad of the seriousness of the threats to individual liberties in Ukraine. The disclosure of senior state officials' likely involvement in the journalist's disappearance has shaken President Leonid Kuchma's rule for months. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian state apparatus, the courts and police, have aggressively impeded the search for the truth. The Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of the Interior have raised their opposition to any serious investigation into the events surrounding the journalist's disappearance and murder. Georgy Gongadze had personally denounced the threats from these institutions in the weeks prior to his disappearance. The commission of inquiry created by the Ukrainian parliament was not given the means to lead a proper investigation.

Considering the situation, Reporters sans frontières (RSF), in association with Mrs. Alexandra Gongadze, Georgy Gongadze's mother, and Miroslava Gongadze, his widow, calls for the creation of an international commission of inquiry into journalist Georgy Gongadze's disappearance and murder. Only an independent commission of inquiry will be able to identify the responsible parties in Georgy Gongadze's disappearance and murder. The independent commission of inquiry should include Ukrainian judicial and police authorities, international and Ukrainian experts, representatives from organisations responsible for monitoring Ukraine's efforts to respect its international commitments (Council of Europe, OSCE, United Nations Commission on Human Rights), representatives from Ukrainian and international human rights organisations, representatives of the Gongadze family, and the members of the Ukrainian parliament's commission of inquiry.

RSF asks:

- the Ukrainian authorities to accept the principle of the creation of an international commission of inquiry into the disappearance and murder of Georgy Gongadze;

- the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to express support for the creation of such a commission, and to participate actively in its creation;

- the Council of Europe's member states and the United States to support the creation of this commission, and to make experts available to assist the commission;

- non-governmental organisations and personalities committed to the defence of individual liberties to support this appeal.





Source:

Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
@rsf_rwb
 

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More on this case

Former president must be prosecuted in Gongadze murder, says CPJ 15 December 2011 Gongadze murder suspect admits to killing, names former president Kuchma as conspirator 1 September 2011 Trial of Gongadze murder suspect should be open to public, says CPJ 17 August 2011 Former president indicted in journalist's murder 25 March 2011 CPJ concerned by irregularities in Gongadze case 2 March 2011 Joint statement on the 10th anniversary of journalist Gyorgy Gongadze's death 20 September 2010 IFJ, IMI renew call for action in investigation into Gongadze murder 18 September 2009 Ukraine must seize opportunity of confessions to reporter's murder to reveal truth, says IFJ 27 July 2009 Resolution calls for further action to prosecute former officials who may have been behind journalist Giorgiy Gongadze's killing 30 January 2009 European parliamentarians call for justice for slain journalist Georgiy Gongadze 26 June 2008 Three former policemen convicted of murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze 17 March 2008 IFJ demands withdrawal of award to judge who closed case against prime suspect in Gongadze murder 19 December 2007 IFJ calls on president to withdraw honour for prosecutor in charge of failed investigation of journalist's death 27 March 2007 Former president questioned in Gongadze murder investigation, two Interior Ministry officers charged 14 March 2005 DNA test confirms body is that of disappeared journalist Georgiy Gongadze 12 March 2003 CPJ marks second anniversary of journalist's disappearance 16 September 2002 Deputy prosecutor general makes misleading statement in attempt to delay launch of international commission of inquiry into journalist Georgiy Gongadze's disappearance and murder 30 January 2002 Council of Europe supports creation of independent commission of inquiry in Gongadze case 28 September 2001 CPJ supports call for international inquiry on anniversary of journalist's disappearance 19 September 2001 Authorities compel murdered journalist Georgiy Gongadze's mother to bury his body 5 June 2001 Authorities "shed light on" journalist Georgiy Gongadze's assassination 16 May 2001 License of radio station that rebroadcasts BBC revoked ten days before vote on the exclusion of Ukraine from the Council of Europe 17 April 2001 RSF urges new interior minister to put a stop to the violence against journalists 26 March 2001 RSF calls for a full investigation into the Ministry of the Interior to uncover those responsible for journalist Georgiy Gongadze's murder 22 March 2001 RSF asks FBI team in Kiev for new autopsy on body of murdered journalist Georgy Gongadze 16 March 2001 Legal authorities acknowledge that journalist Georgiy Gongadze was murdered 28 February 2001 RSF asks to take part in international inquiry into case of missing journalist Georgiy Gongadze 22 December 2000 RSF denounces serious press freedom situation 20 December 2000 CPJ calls for independent investigation into Gongadze disappearance 15 December 2000 IFJ deeply concerned by recent discovery of possible remains of journalist Georgy Gongadze 29 November 2000 Decapitated corpse found, could be that of journalist missing since September 28 November 2000 CPJ concerned about journalist's disappearance 26 September 2000 Editor missing 20 September 2000

Ukraine

Editor reported missing in Lvov region 29 March 2012 Court decision threatens future of country's largest newspaper 10 February 2012 Former president must be prosecuted in Gongadze murder, says CPJ 15 December 2011 Newspaper photographer murdered in Kiev 1 December 2011 Opposition TV channel disappears from the airwaves 26 October 2011 See all alerts: Ukraine


 
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