14 March 2005

Alert

Former president questioned in Gongadze murder investigation, two Interior Ministry officers charged


Incident details

Georgy Gongadze

journalist(s)

killed
(CPJ/IFEX) - The following is an 11 March 2005 CPJ press release:

Ukrainian prosecutors report progress in the Gongadze case

New York, March 11, 2005 - The questioning of Ukraine's former president and negotiations to obtain a potentially key tape recording capped a week of developments in the Ukrainian government's investigation into the September 2000 abduction and murder of Internet journalist Georgy Gongadze. The once-dormant investigation, given life when President Viktor Yushchenko took office this year, also netted formal charges against two Interior Ministry officers this week, according to local and international press reports.

The Prosecutor General's Office questioned former President Leonid Kuchma yesterday but did not disclose details of the interview. Kuchma has publicly denied any involvement in the slaying. But a former member of Kuchma's security detail met with Deputy Prime Minister Mykola Tomenko in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday to discuss handing over audiotapes covertly recorded in Kuchma's office prior to Gongadze's death, according to local press reports. The ex-agent's potential court testimony was also discussed.

The tapes, if authenticated by the government, could provide evidence linking Kuchma and several senior government officials to the slaying. On the tapes, Kuchma and other senior officials are said to have discussed ways of silencing Gongadze, whom they considered to be a nuisance.

The government confirmed that Yushchenko plans to meet the ex-security agent, Mykola Melnychenko, in Washington, D.C., in April. Melnychenko, who fled Ukraine and was granted political asylum in the United States in 2001, is considering testifying in a murder trial if his security can be ensured.

The Interior Ministry acknowledged this week that its officers had conducted surveillance of Gongadze in summer 2000, shortly before he was abducted and killed. On Monday, the prosecutor's office charged two Interior Ministry colonels in the murder, a week after they had been taken into custody for questioning.

Prosecutors were dealt one significant setback when former Interior Minister Yuri Kravchenko committed suicide on March 4 - just hours before he was to be questioned about the Gongadze case.

CPJ is a New York-based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information on Ukraine, visit http://www.cpj.org.



Source:

Committee to Protect Journalists
330 7th Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
USA
info (@) cpj.org
Phone: +1 212 465 1004
Fax: +1 212 465 9568
 

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Updates to this story

Prosecutor says death of key figure in Gongadze murder case unrelated, calls it "suicide" despite expert's testimony otherwise 6 March 2007 Court closes portions of trial in journalist's murder to the public 25 January 2006

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 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 One year of impunity for journalist Georgy Gongadze's killers 13 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

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 Unidentified assailant shoots journalist in Mykolayiv 20 October 2011 Draft law proposes closure of media outlets for broadcast of violent images 20 October 2011 See all alerts: Ukraine


 
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