Threats to journalist Mykhailo Tkach because of the investigation. The Prosecutor General's Office has launched a pre-trial investigation

Threats to journalist Mykhailo Tkach because of the investigation. The Prosecutor General's Office has launched a pre-trial investigation

Kyiv  •  UNN

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Journalists reported attempts to pressure, threats and obstruction of their journalistic activities, which led to the launch of a pre-trial investigation by the Prosecutor General's Office into the fact of influence on a journalist and threats of murder or violence against a journalist.

Journalists of the Ukrayinska Pravda media outlet reported attempts to pressure, threats and obstruction of journalistic activities. The Office of the Prosecutor General reported that a pre-trial investigation had been launched, UNN reports.

...criminal proceedings have been initiated following a complaint from journalists of the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet about attempts to pressure, threaten and obstruct journalistic activities 

- the Prosecutor General's Office said.

Details

According to the prosecutor's office, the pre-trial investigation is being conducted under Part 2 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - influence on a journalist with the aim of obstructing the performance of his professional duties and Part 1 of Article 345-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - threats of murder, violence against a journalist in connection with the exercise of lawful professional activity.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by the Shevchenkivskyi Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv.

The investigation is under the control of the prosecutor's office.

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As reported by UP editor Sevgil Musayeva, on May 10, the head of the Investigations Department, Mykhailo Tkach, received a message in one of the messengers from an addressee who introduced himself as Oleksandr Slobozhenko (the subject of the recent investigation "Unfit"), with a proposal to "make a settlement" for a monetary reward.  The text of the message ends with the words: "I don't advise you to delay your response. I know how to fight too".

According to her, on May 11, there were a number of unsuccessful attempts by unauthorized persons to log into Mikhail's Monobank account throughout the day.  The journalist began receiving dozens of calls from unknown numbers and SMS with authorization codes from banking and credit institutions.

On January 13, at least 10 employees of the online edition received threatening letters on their e-mail accounts:  "I have already written about it to Tkach, but apparently it did not reach him, I will try to convey the thought for the last time. Sometimes the ability to close your mouth in time saves lives. My offer to close the issue in peace is still valid, I'm waiting for an answer. С."

"It is noteworthy that messages of the same content were sent not only to the editorial but also to personal e-mail addresses of journalists. Including those that have not been used for a long time," Musayeva added.