17 March 2008

Alert

Three former policemen convicted of murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze


Incident details

Georgiy Gongadze

journalist(s)

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(RSF/IFEX) - Ending a trial begun in January 2006, a Kiev court on 15 March 2008 found three former police officers - Mykola Protasov, Oleksandr Popovich and Valeri Kostenko - guilty of carrying out the 2000 murder of investigative journalist Georgiy Gongadze. As requested by prosecutors, Protasov was sentenced to 13 years in prison. The other two were sentenced to 12 years.

Reporters Without Borders hails this outcome, but regrets that those who gave the orders for Gongadze's murder still have not been identified.

"We are obviously pleased with this verdict," the press freedom organisation said. "But justice has not yet been fully rendered in the Gongadze case, which shook the entire nation. The instigators of this murder have still to be identified and punished. The conviction of the three people who carried it out should not be taken to mean the investigation is over."

Ukraine's deputy prosecutor-general Mykola Holomsha, said at the start of the month that he was waiting for the results of the expert analysis of the recordings made by former President Leonid Kuchma's bodyguard, Mykola Melnychenko. As soon as they are known, the court could formally charge "certain persons" with organising Gongadze's murder, he said.

The editor of the online newspaper "Ukrainskaya Pravda", which he created in April 2000, Gongadze often wrote about cases of alleged corruption involving members of the Kuchma government. He was also an active campaigner for press freedom in Ukraine. He was 31 years old when he was kidnapped on 16 September 2000. A headless body and a skull found near Kiev six weeks later were identified as his.

Updates Gongadze case: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/89061



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 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 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

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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