OSCE Media Freedom Representative relieved that suspended sentence and probationary ban of Ukrainian RFE/RL journalist in Crimea came to an end

VIENNA, 3 February 2020 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, said today that he is relieved that Mykola Semena’s suspended sentence came to an end.

On 28 January, Semena, a Ukrainian journalist for RFE/RL, received documents from a district court in Simferopol confirming that his suspended sentence had been lifted and his criminal record expunged.

“I am glad that Mykola Semena is finally free,” said Désir. “I have long campaigned for his release; it was unacceptable that he was persecuted in the first place for expressing his views. I hope this means he will now be able to resume his journalistic work unhindered, and travel freely.”

A court handed Semena a two-and-a-half-years suspended prison sentence in 2017 for “public calls for actions violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation”, with an additional ban on “public activities” for a period of three years. The charges stemmed from an article he wrote in which he expressed his views regarding the situation on the Crimean peninsula.

“Semena’s case reminds us of the harsh conditions in which journalists work when covering the conflict in and around Ukraine. It is paramount to ensure safe working conditions for the journalists,” concluded the Representative.

See the Representative’s previous statements on the case here:

https://twitter.com/OSCE_RFoM/status/1217463729786363906?s=20;

https://www.osce.org/fom/345276; https://www.osce.org/fom/295336;

https://www.osce.org/fom/253091.

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.