MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd July, 2021) The Russian Prosecutor General's Office, in its inter-state complaint with the European Court of Human Rights, accused Ukraine of suppressing the freedom of speech through issuing illegal decrees blocking opposition and Russian information resources, and also of persecuting and even eliminating opposition politicians and reporters.
The prosecutors said in a statement that Ukraine is engaged in "the practice of suppressing the freedom of speech and persecuting dissidents by banning media outlets, online platforms, persecuting journalists (from Russia, Ukraine and other states), politicians and ordinary citizens."
The Ukrainian government continues the practice of "stifling of the freedom of expression by force, including by means of physical elimination of political opponents and journalists," the Russian Prosecutor General's Office went on to say.
"The Ukrainian media have never seen such an attack before. In 2017, 2018 and 2021, a number of Decrees of the President of Ukraine have restricted or suspended access to many opposition or Russian-language information resources ... These restrictions had no legal basis and caused a wave of disapproval from the representatives of international organisations and associations of journalists ... The cut-off of opposition and Russian-language tv channels and the blocking of other information resources whose opinions differ from the position of government officials constitutes a violation by Ukrainian authorities of article 10 of the [European] Convention [on Human Rights] (freedom of expression)," the prosecutors said.
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office also commented on the Mirotvorets website that Kiev launched for a "more effective crackdown on opposition politicians and journalists."
lets, online platforms, persecuting journalists (from Russia, Ukraine and other states), politicians and ordinary citizens."
The Ukrainian government continues the practice of "stifling of the freedom of expression by force, including by means of physical elimination of political opponents and journalists," the Russian Prosecutor General's Office went on to say.
"The Ukrainian media have never seen such an attack before. In 2017, 2018 and 2021, a number of Decrees of the President of Ukraine have restricted or suspended access to many opposition or Russian-language information resources ... These restrictions had no legal basis and caused a wave of disapproval from the representatives of international organisations and associations of journalists ... The cut-off of opposition and Russian-language TV channels and the blocking of other information resources whose opinions differ from the position of government officials constitutes a violation by Ukrainian authorities of article 10 of the [European] Convention [on Human Rights] (freedom of expression)," the prosecutors said.
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office also commented on the Mirotvorets website that Kiev launched for a "more effective crackdown on opposition politicians and journalists."
"As of 14 March 2021, this database included information about over 240,000 persons, as well as 3.5 million photographs received illegally (by hacking or phishing) and by means of intelligence, published without consent of persons whose personal data has been shared," the Russian Prosecutor General's Office's additional materials read.
The website contains personal information of Russian and Ukrainian citizens, international reporters and high-ranking representatives of international organizations, disclosed without their consent in gross violation of the European Convention on Human Rights.
