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Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, March 3, 2004
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PRAGUE - Ukrainian authorities today raided the offices of RFE/RL's
affiliate partner in Kyiv, Radio "Kontynent," confiscating the FM
broadcaster's transmission equipment, sealing the office and detaining three
people, including the station's chief engineer. The seizure was carried out
on the basis of an order issued to local law enforcement officials by the
Ukrainian State Center of Radio Frequencies (in Ukrainian,
"Ukrchastnotnaglyad"). The three detained individuals were later released.
RFE/RL President Thomas A. Dine condemned the attack on "Radio
Kontynent," saying: "We at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are angry and
outraged by this blatant act in suppressing factual news and information
from a variety of high-quality journalists. Ukraine's name and its people
are badly damaged; the first freedom -- free expression -- is harmed. In
fact, after what happened today to Radio Kontynent, one can reasonably ask,
'Who's next?'"
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"Kontynent," which also broadcasts programs by Voice of America, BBC
and Deutsche Welle on 100.9FM, added two hours of RFE/RL Ukrainian Service
programming to its schedule on February 27. This latest act again
eliminates RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service from the FM airwaves in the Ukrainian
capital.
RFE/RL Ukrainian programs were abruptly taken off the air on
February 17 in Kyiv and cities across Ukraine, as the Ukrainian FM Radio
Dovira network carried out its threat to end its five-year affiliate
relationship with RFE/RL. At the time, Dine called the Dovira move "a deeply
disturbing political development and serious setback to freedom of
expression in Ukraine."
In light of today's events, senior officials at RFE/RL are
expressing serious concerns about the evolving pattern of pressure applied
by Ukrainian authorities on independent media and freedom of speech as such.
Many RFE/RL affiliates have expressed concern that the penalty for carrying
Ukrainian Service programs on their airwaves may be to share the fate of
"Radio Kontynent".
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Dine also expressed remorse on learning of the death of Heorhiy
Chechyk, General Director of the Poltava Radio and Television Company
"UTA" that owns FM broadcaster "Radio Poltava Plus". Chechyk died in an
automobile accident today, while on his way to Kyiv for a meeting with
RFE/RL officials to discuss affiliation opportunities.
RFE/RL is supervised by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the
federal agency that runs all U.S. international, nonmilitary broadcasting,
including the Voice of America.
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Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20036; tel: 202-457-6900, fax: 202-457-6992,
http://www.rferl.org; CONTACT: Donald Jensen +1-202-457-6947
Anna Rausova +420-221-122-114
FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
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