With the kind permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, InfoUkes Inc. has been given rights to electronically re-print these articles on our web site. Visit the RFE/RL Ukrainian Service page for more information. Also visit the RFE/RL home page for news stories on other Eastern European and FSU countries.

Return to Main RFE News Page
InfoUkes Home Page

=2E..AS SHOWN BY STATISTICS FROM LAST YEAR: The following data, summarizing basic violations of journalists' rights in the year 2000 in CIS countries, is excerpted from "A Dangerous Profession." Killings -- Russia: 4, Georgia: 1, Tajikistan:1, Ukraine: 1. Unsolved murders or unclear investigation results -- Russia: 5, Kazakhstan: 1, Ukraine: 3. Murders unrelated to professional activities -- Russia: 12, Tajikistan: 1, Ukraine: 2; Missing journalists -- Russia: 2, Belarus: 1. Attacks related to professional activities -- Russia: 64, Azerbaijan: 26, Armenia: 2, Belarus: 3, Georgia: 13, Kazakhstan: 8, Kyrgyzstan: 2, Moldova: 4, Ukraine: 10. Attacks unrelated to professional activities -- Russia: 18, Tajikistan: 3, Ukraine: 2; Detentions and arrests of journalists -- Russia: 21, Azerbaijan: 4, Armenia: 3, Belarus: 44, Georgia: 2, Kyrgyzstan: 1, Ukraine: 1. Legal prosecutions of journalists -- Russia: 17, Azerbaijan: 2, Kazakhstan: 2, Kyrgyzstan: 4, Turkmenistan: 1. Pressure on the mass media -- Russia: 37, Azerbaijan: 7, Armenia: 1, Belarus: 3, Georgia: 3, Kazakhstan: 8, Kyrgyzstan: 4, Moldova: 2, Ukraine: 6. Censorship -- Russia: 16, Azerbaijan: 1, Armenia: 3, Belarus: 1, Kazakhstan: 3, Tajikistan: 2, Ukraine: 9. (Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, 13 June)

UKRAINE

PARLIAMENT DEMANDS SACKING OF NATIONAL TV CHIEF. The parliament passed a resolution urging President Leonid Kuchma to dismiss Vadym Dolhanov, chief of the National Television Company. The resolution states that Dolhanov's performance is unsatisfactory, adding that he is responsible for failing to provide objective and adequate reporting on the activities of the parliament and local legislative bodies. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 8 June)

UKRAINIAN LAWMAKERS MOVE TO OUST PARLIAMENTARY LEADERSHIP. Legislators from the parliamentary caucuses of the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Fatherland Party, and the Ukrainian Popular Rukh have collected signatures under motions to oust parliament speaker Ivan Plyushch (154 signatures) as well as his deputies Viktor Medvedchuk (169 signatures) and Stepan Havrysh (159 signatures), the "Ukrayinska pravda" website reported on 18 June, quoting Interfax. The parliament is expected to vote on 19 June on whether to include the motions on the agenda. Lawmakers need 150 signatures to propose a motion for a debate and 226 votes to put the motion on the parliamentary agenda. JM

UKRAINE REPORTS 9 PERCENT GROWTH IN JANUARY-MAY. The State Statistics Committee said Ukraine's GDP in January-May increased by 9 percent, compared with the same period last year, Interfax reported on 15 June. The committee said the fastest growth was registered in the manufacturing industry (24.1 percent), wholesale and retail trade (12.5 percent), construction (9.9 percent), agriculture and forestry (5 percent), and extraction of natural resources (4.8 percent). JM

...WANTS UKRAINE TO MOVE TOWARD DEMOCRACY, MARKET ECONOMY... Presidents Bush and Kwasniewski discussed ways to help Ukraine move toward lasting democracy and a market economy, Reuters reported. "Poland and the United States and other nations in Europe must work with the Ukraine to help it make the right decisions and right choices for the future," Bush told journalists, adding that these right choices are "democracy, open markets, freedom -- the values embraced by Ukraine's neighbor, Poland." Bush praised Kwasniewski's efforts to maintain dialogue with Ukraine. JM

NOVOSIBIRSK UKRAINIANS COMPLAIN ABOUT RUSSIAN FILM. The Ukrainian National Cultural Autonomy of Novosibirsk Oblast has appealed to Putin and other Russian officials to prevent the showing of the film "Brat-2," which they said belittles the national and human worth of ethnic Ukrainians and thus violates the Russian Constitution. PG