Support for strike by journalists tomorrow in Kiev

Reporters Without Borders supports the strike which, according to the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty website (http://www.rferl.org/content/Disappearance_Raises_Fresh_Questions_About_Media_Climate_In_Ukraine/2131276.html), journalists plan to stage in Kiev tomorrow to protest against the government’s attempt to strip several TV stations of their broadcast licences. Contrary to what Reporters Without Borders reported in an earlier release, it was not the “Stop the censorship” movement that initiated the strike Reporters Without Borders plans to attend the 26 August hearing at which a court will issue its ruling on the appeal by independent stations 5 Kanal and TBi against the government’s withdrawal of their licences. Reporters Without Borders plans to attend the 26 August hearing at which a court will issue its ruling on the appeal by independent stations 5 Kanal and TVi against the government’s withdrawal of their licences. The authorities insist that this is just a commercial dispute between these two stations and the powerful Inter Media Group, but in fact major political interests are at stake. Inter Media is owned by the head of the Ukraine’s main security service, the SBU, who also happens to be a very influential member the Judiciary Supreme Council. Many cases of censorship of different kinds were brought to Reporters Without Borders’ attention during a visit to Ukraine last month to evaluate the press freedom situation. At a news conference on the final day of the visit, Reporters Without Borders urged the authorities to “defend press freedom with greater energy.”