Continued concern about investigation of missing Ukrainian journalist

VIENNA, 8 February 2001 - Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media, reported today to the OSCE Permanent Council on the disappearance of Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze last September.

After having raised the Gongadze case on several occasions with Ukrainian government officials, the Representative sent an adviser to Kiev from 31 January to 2 February 2001 for an assessment visit where he met with government officials, lawyers, parliamentarians, and journalists.

The overall opinion he found is that the investigation into the disappearance of Gongadze has been "extremely unprofessional," and that there has been a lack of transparency regarding the identification of the headless body found 2 November 2000.

The situation surrounding this case and allegations against President Kuchma made public by the opposition, has lead to an unprecedented public debate in the Ukrainian media. The OSCE Representative is concerned over reports that certain media continue to be harassed, and he has raised these concerns with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.

In his Report to the OSCE Permanent Council, the Representative has made a series of recommendations to the Government of Ukraine:

• to invite international experts in a new effort to investigate the Gongadze case
• to cease all acts of harassment against the media
• to hold an open hearing on the state of media freedom in Ukraine.

Mr. Duve also reminded the Ukrainian Government that his recommendations on the media situation made last March are not implemented as of today.

For more information contact the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, tel.: +43-1-512 21 45 - 0, fax: +43-1-512 21 45 - 9, e-mail: [email protected]