17 August 2011

Alert

Trial of Gongadze murder suspect should be open to public, says CPJ


(CPJ/IFEX) - New York, August 16, 2011 - The Pechersky District Court in Kyiv must open to the public the ongoing trial against Aleksei Pukach, a former interior ministry general charged with the notorious 2000 killing of independent journalist Georgy Gongadze, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

In custody since July 2009, Pukach is being tried on allegations he strangled and beheaded Gongadze, a prominent investigative reporter and editor of the online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda. Pukach's trial, which began on July 7, has been conducted entirely in private.

On Monday, the panel of judges presiding over the case denied a request by Valentina Telychenko, a lawyer for Gongadze's widow, Myroslava, to have the trial opened to the public, Ukrainska Pravda reported. The judges did not address why they believed the entire trial needed to be held in secret, rather than taking the more limited step of sealing only portions of the proceedings.

The ruling was the third instance in which the courts have denied Telychenko's efforts to have elements of the case unsealed, the lawyer told CPJ.

The judges had ruled previously that the indictment against Pukach - a former chief of the Interior Ministry's surveillance department - contains state secrets and could not be made public. The court did not explain why the entire indictment, rather than portions, merited sealing, Telychenko said. The blanket classification of the indictment prevents Gongadze's lawyers from sharing information with outside parties; if such information is shared, the lawyer may be prosecuted, Telychenko said.

"The trial of the suspected murderers of our colleague Georgy Gongadze is a defining moment not only for Ukraine but for the entire former Soviet bloc," said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova. "Ukraine must demonstrate that it has turned a new page in its historical development by choosing transparency over secrecy and justice over impunity in this flagship case."

Telychenko told CPJ she believes that documented procedural violations in the investigation are the actual reason behind the judges' decision to close the trial to the public.

In another disturbing development, prosecutors have filed a motion to close the official investigation into the role of Yuri Kravchenko. Authorities have named the late interior minister as the mastermind behind the murder. Telychenko said that closing the probe would make it far more difficult to establish motives in the murder. The motion is pending.

Kravchenko was found dead in 2005, with two gunshot wounds to the head. Despite great skepticism, authorities declared the death a suicide.

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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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 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 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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