Belarus: Missing journalist feared dead; official investigation stalled
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is deeply disturbed by the lack of progress in the investigation into the disappearance of Dmitry Zavadsky, a cameraman with the Russian public television network ORT who has been missing since July 7. Because no group has come forward to take responsibility for Zavadsky’s disappearance over the past six months, we now fear that the journalist may have been killed. The official investigation, which has been carried out in secret, now appears to be stalled.
CPJ calls for prompt independent investigation of Gongadze disappearance
Click here to read more about press freedom conditions in UKRAINE New York, December 15, 2000 — In the wake of allegations linking President Leonid Kuchma and two top aides to the September 16 disappearance of independent journalist Georgy Gongadze, CPJ urges President Kuchma and his government to avoid the appearance of impropriety by appointing…
Ukraine: Editor assaulted by public official
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns the recent beating of Oleg Liachko, editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper Svoboda. We demand that the attack be investigated immediately and that the assailant — a prominent public official–be held accountable for his actions.
Slovakia: Journalist sentenced for defaming his country
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is writing to express its dismay over recent defamation charges brought against Vladimir Mohorita, a journalist with the Slovak weekly Zmena. On March 16, Mohorita received a registered letter from the Bratislava 2 Regional Court informing him that unspecified, undated criminal charges had been filed against him. Mohorita received another registered letter two days later, explaining that the charges had in fact been filed two weeks earlier. The letter added that, having reached a decision on March 7, the court was sentencing him to four months in prison under Article 102 of the Slovak Penal Code for “publicly defaming the country and its officials.”
Jailed reporter’s health deteriorates
Your Excellency: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) appeals to you to release our colleague Shodi Mardiev on humanitarian grounds. We wrote to you on January 12, 2000, with a similar request. Since that time, Mardiev’s health has deteriorated even further.
Six weeks after disappearance, ORT cameraman still missing
Click here to read more about press freedom conditions in BELARUS New York, August 11, 2000 –The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is greatly alarmed that Belarusian authorities have not yet determined the whereabouts of Dmitry Zavadsky, a cameraman for Russian Public Television (ORT) who disappeared in Minsk on July 7.