State Radio and TV Broadcasting Committee urges police to ensure safety of journalists at rallies

The Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine urges to investigate into the circumstances of clashes between the protesters and the law enforcers on August 31 near the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

As noted on the Committee’s website, the Committee is concerned about the incident, which occurred on August 31 near the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, which affected journalists of Ukrainian and foreign mass media.

“The journalists can not be held hostage to someone’s political ambitions, but should fulfill their professional duties in objective, impartial manner and cover all events truthfully. No party slogan is worth the blood of peaceful Ukrainians. All those, who bear relation to this tragedy, should draw the appropriate conclusions,” reads the statement.

Ukraine’s Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting notes that the law enforcement agencies should take more effective measures to ensure the safety of journalists during the rallies.

The Committee calls on the police to investigate into all the circumstances of the events on August 31 and inform the public about the results.

As reported, on August 31, after the vote on amendments to the Constitution, the protesters stormed the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The grenade was thrown at the soldiers of the National Guard of Ukraine. About 100 servicemen were wounded, three law enforcement officers were killed.

According to the Institute of Mass Information, that day, cameraman of the 1+1 TV channel Dmytro Bolshakov received shrapnel wound in a leg. The journalists of the Channel 5 were injured as a result of grenade explosion. Cameraman of the Right Information Bureau, Roman Malko, received shrapnel wounds in both legs. French journalist Antoine Delaunay was also injured.