The Security Service of Ukraine said it is investigating the circumstances of illegal wiretapping and video recording of representatives of the Bihus.Info project - criminal proceedings have been opened, UNN reports.
... criminal proceedings were opened under Article 359 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal acquisition, sale or use of special technical means of obtaining information)
The SBU assures that "transparent and unimpeded work of independent and professional media is an important condition for the development of Ukraine as a democratic state.
"Such facts of surveillance should be given a legal assessment, regardless of whether or not the covert filming materials disclosed facts of possible violations of the law related to drug trafficking. This can be assessed only by law enforcement agencies in accordance with their jurisdiction," the statement said.
Context
The Narodna Pravda YouTube channel shared a video where Bihus.Info journalists allegedly use banned substances.
The founder of the project, Denys Bigus, reacted to the video and assured that the consequence of such actions will be strict personnel changes, and everyone who cooperates with Bihus.Info will pass drug tests.
In addition, he stated that the members of the Bihus.Info team had been monitored for about a year: the listening fragments were edited from several episodes, between which months had passed.