MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2018) The Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency will organize a demonstration outside the Ukrainian Embassy on Friday to protest the detention of head of the RIA Novosti Ukraine news portal Kirill Vyshinsky, who has already spent nearly six months in custody in Ukraine on suspicion of treason.
The event is timed for the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, observed annually on 2 November. The day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly resolution that condemns any violence against journalists. The document urges member states to "do their utmost to prevent violence against journalists and media workers, to ensure accountability through the conduct of impartial, speedy and effective investigations into all alleged violence against journalists and media workers falling within their jurisdiction and to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice and ensure that victims have access to appropriate remedies."
"All colleagues who are not different to Kirill's fate, to values such as freedom of speech and justice, can join the rally on Friday at 11:00 a.m. [8:00 GMT] at 18 Leontyevsky Lane. The demonstration's motto is "Flimsy Case." Participants will gather at the Ukrainian embassy with bobbins of white string [symbol for fabricated cases], banners and posters with the hashtag #TruthNotTreason," the organizers said.
Vyshinsky was detained in Kiev in on May 15 on suspicion of supporting the breakaway republics of Donbas and treason. The maximum penalty for such offense is 15 years of imprisonment.
On May 17, a court of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson ruled to remand Vyshinsky in custody. The defense appealed the arrest, but the court dismissed the appeal. During a court hearing, Vyshinsky asked for help from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also said that he would give up his Ukrainian citizenship.
Putin has said that Vyshinsky's arrest was politically motivated, adding that the incident demonstrated an unprecedented and unacceptable policy of Ukrainian authorities targeting journalists who were just doing their jobs. The Russian Foreign Ministry lodged protests to Kiev, calling on it to stop crackdown on media.
On September 5, a Kherson court was considering whether to extend the arrest or change the measure of restraint for Vyshinsky, however the hearing had to be adjourned because the defendant got sick. Vyshinsky was taken to prison hospital straight from the court chamber, and then returned to court. As a result, the arrest was extended until November 4.
On October 23, investigators filed a petition to the Prosecutor General's office of Ukraine to extend the investigation period until January 2019. Earlier, a Kherson court of appeal also turned down the request of the defense to change the measure of restraint for Vyshinsky. On November 1, the Kherson court extended the arrest until December 28.
Rossiya Segodnya is a multimedia international news and information agency with a mission to provide prompt and balanced coverage of global news and to inform international audiences about different views on key events. Rossiya Segodnya has a range of information resources, including RIA Novosti, R-Sport, RIA Real Estate, RIA Rating, Prime, and InoSMI. Abroad, Rossiya Segodnya is represented by the Sputnik news agency.
