Media another casualty of Russian invasion

  • 2014-03-07
  • From wire reports, RIGA

The self-proclaimed Prime Minister of Crimean Autonomous Republic Sergey Aksenov ordered the shut-down of broadcaster 1 +1 “by any means,” including force, reports UkrainianCrisisMediaCenter. The broadcasting frequency has now been taken over by Russian TV channel Rossiya.
 
During a telephone call, the chief engineer of telecom center in Crimea Gordeev H.H. confirmed that the broadcasting of 1+1 TV-channel has been terminated in Crimeabased on the order of Aksenov.
 
These actions and orders by those who call themselves the new leadership of the CrimeanAutonomousRepublicimmediately show how they highly disrespect freedom of expression and democratic values, as well as abuse the rule of law and intellectual property rights, said the 1+1 representative.
 
Also, it is suggested that this organized and coherent policy of self-proclaimed leadership of the CrimeanAutonomousRepublicagainst journalists and the channel 1+1 was planned and intentional. On March 6 the armed military personnel who proclaim themselves as “self-defenders” did not let the 1 +1 journalists enter the Crimeapeninsula. While trying to enter the peninsula the news crew was kidnapped and were threatened, forced to serve as a human shield in case of attack. Eventually, the crew was released following negotiations.
 
TSN  reporter Oleksiy Bobrovnikov  was attacked during an assault on a military base in Yevpatoriya. This is not the first attempt to attack Bobrovnikov’s crew at work in the Crimea. Last week a cameraman and a journalist from his crew were beaten up by the so-called Russian ‘humanitarian’ peace-keepers.
 
The constant harassment of journalistic activities during reporting from the Crimeawas experienced by TSNreporter Hryhoriy Zhigalov and cameraman Pavlo Myasnov. On Feb. 26, a group of aggressive young men was blocking the filming of a meeting near Sevastopolcity administration, giving the excuse that the news team belongs to Ukrainian TV channel.

 

On March 2, a group of unknown people were throwing stones at the news crew’s car, while Zhigalov and Myasnov were inside there. Also on the same day in Balaklavaa group of unknown people surrounded a film crew, and soon attacked it when live broadcasts started.
 
The reporting crew of Ruslan Yarmolyuk was attacked by unknown assailant as well. The attack occurred in Feodosia during filming around the Ukrainian Marine Base.  The aggressive group started pushing journalists of “1 +1 “and pushed them into a ring.

 

During a live broadcast on March 2 a man with a metal stick attacked the camera crew after he heard the reporter was speaking in Ukrainian.