Freedom of the Press - Ukraine (2002)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 22 April 2002 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Ukraine (2002), 22 April 2002, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4734508e23.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Partly Free
Legal Environment: 23
Political Influences: 26
Economic Pressures: 11
Total Score: 60
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 68
Religious Groups: n/a
Ethnic Groups: Ukrainian (73 percent), Russian (22 percent), other (5 percent)
Capital: Kiev
The government frequently disregards constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech and expression, especially during election seasons. Recurring violence directed at journalists is rarely prosecuted. The internationally reported murder of investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze remains unresolved more than a year after his death in 2000. A publisher was shot dead in June 2001 and an independent television director was bludgeoned to death in July. Police searched a reporter's apartment after he suggested links between a former security head and organized crime. A court ruled that a newspaper had offended a parliamentarian and must pay a fine that virtually bankrupted the paper. Private media are largely controlled by financial and political interests that exert influence over content. Telekritika, launched this year, critically assesses TV and radio programs and trends, including feedback for discussion of media content. The website was financed through a grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Under a new criminal code, libel is no longer a criminal offense.