photo by Erik McLean on Unsplash
President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has implemented a decision of the National Security and Defense Council (RNBO) from 28 December, that issues sanctions against three Ukrainian companies associated with the channels First Independent and UkrLive TV. The relevant decree was published on the president’s website.
This decision is the second time during the presidency of Zelenskyi, when the state imposed sanctions against TV channels. Last time, it was made 2 February 2021 against the TV channels 112 Ukraine, NewsOne and ZIK, related to a Ukrainian pro-Russian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who is often called a «kum» of Putin, meaning that the Russian president is a godfather to his daughter. At that time, Zelenskyi commented that Medvedchuk’s channels spread «propaganda, financed by the country-agressor».
Sanctions are imposed for five years, they include blocking assets, revoking licenses and banning the use of telecommunications networks.
The sanctions apply to Media Holding News, Time Media, and Telespace. The beneficial owner of the latter is Nestor Shufrych – a People’s Deputy from the Ukrainian pro-Russian party «Oppositional Platform for Life» (OPZZh). Shufrych is also a co-owner of the company Media Holding News, which was founded by a hundred of employees who previously worked at TV channels 112 Ukraine, NewsOne and ZIK, until they were blocked at the beginning of this year. The latter were associated with Taras Kozak and Viktor Medvedchuk, also members of OPZZh party. According to Opendatabot, Media Holding News owns Time Media LLC.
Commenting on the decision, Shufrych said there were no grounds for imposing sanctions.
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A joint statement from the TV channels said that they considered the sanctions «another attempt by the Ukrainian authorities to suppress any alternative opinion on the situation in Ukraine and use the repressive machine to fight the independent media.»
Nestor Shufrych became a co-owner of the First Independent TV channel at the end of September 2021. UkrLive soon merged with this TV channel, and on November 1 it became known that the People’s Deputy also became the owner of UkrLive. Nestor Shufrych is the Chairman in the Ukrainian Parliament’s Committee on Freedom of Speech.
18 February, employees of blocked Kozak’s TV channels registered Media Holding News LLC. Broadcasting of the First Independent Channel began 26 February, but it was turned off within an hour for an unknown reason. The channel is currently broadcasting on YouTube.
We will remind that 2 February 2021, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions) against Taras Kozak, People’s Deputy from the Ukrainian pro-Russian party «Oppositional Platform for Life». Also sanctions were imposed for five years against his channels 112 Ukraine, NewsOne, ZIK, which are associated with the People’s Deputy from OPZZh Viktor Medvedchuk. In a joint statement, the TV channels promised to continue working, accusing Zelensky of «political massacre of undesirable media.»
Translated by Vitalii Holich
You can read a Ukrainian language version of this story here.
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Lviv Now is an English-language website for Lviv, Ukraine’s «tech-friendly cultural hub.» It is produced by Tvoe Misto («Your City») media-hub, which also hosts regular problem-solving public forums to benefit the city and its people.
