A dozen Ukrainian journalists stood up and raised anti-censorship banners when President Viktor Yanukovich hailed his country’s march to media freedom at the World Newspaper Congress in Kiev yesterday.
“Ukraine has made its way, without exaggeration, from total censorship to an open society,” Mr Yanukovich told the conference as his security guards ripped banners saying Stop Censorship from protesters’ hands. Mr Yanukovich did not react to the silent protest.
Ukrainian opposition and western rights watchdogs have accused Mr Yanukovich of cracking down on media freedom after coming to power in the former Soviet republic in early 2010. In July, tax police raided the office of TVi, a television station often critical of the government. – (Reuters)
