OSCE Media Freedom Representative welcomes release of RIA Novosti journalist Kirill Vyshinsky in Ukraine
VIENNA, 28 August 2019 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, welcomed today’s court ruling in Ukraine to release from pre-trial detention journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, the chief of the RIA Novosti Ukraina office in Kyiv.
“I welcome the release of RIA Novosti Ukraina journalist Kirill Vyshinsky today in Kyiv,” said Désir. “I called for his release and intervened on his behalf numerous times with the Ukrainian authorities.”
In May 2018, the Ukrainian security services raided the office of RIA Novosti Ukraina and arrested Vyshinsky on charges of high treason. In July 2018, he was presented with additional charges and his pre-trial detention was extended several times. The Representative previously intervened with the Ukrainian authorities to release him, recalling that “journalists should not under any circumstances be imprisoned for their journalistic work and must have the right to freely express opinions and dissenting views, even those that could be considered controversial.”
Today, the Appeals Court of Kyiv ruled that Vyshinsky was set free from pre-trial detention under personal obligation to attend his trial and inform the court on his whereabouts and work, as well as to refrain from contacting witnesses in his case.
“The release of a journalist is always positive, and I welcome that Kirill Vyshinsky is finally free after such a long and difficult pre-trial detention,” said Désir, “I thank him for his kind words on the intervention of my Office in his case, and I call for all charges against him to be dropped at the next hearing set for 16 September.”
“On this occasion, I also call for the release of all other detained journalists and authors in the OSCE region, in particular Roman Sushchenko and Oleg Sentsov in Russia,” stated Désir. The Representative recalled the OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on Safety of Journalists, which urges the “immediate and unconditional release of all journalists who have been arbitrarily arrested or detained, taken hostage or who have become victims of enforced disappearance” in participating States.
The Representative has previously raised his concern on this case in his public statements, see: https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/401453, https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/381370 and https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/401867, as well as tweets and correspondence with the authorities, see https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/424907?download=true.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.