KIEV, Ukraine—Nine years after the assassination of Ukranian journalist Georgy Gongadze on Sept. 16, 2000, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is calling on the Ukranian government for a renewed investigation.
“The brutal kidnap and murder of Gyorgy, which took place after senior Ukrainian politicians had discussed harming him, was notorious, because it underlined the impunity with which those with power could use assassination as a means to silence journalists,” said the European IFJ in a press statement on its website.
A breakthrough in the case came last summer when the alleged assassin, Oleksiy Pukach, former chief of the main criminal investigation department at the Ukrainian Interior Ministry’s foreign surveillance unit, was arrested. Yet those alleged to have ordered the murder have not been found or convicted.
“Clearly, the arrest of Pukach is a step forward in the investigation of the crime. But it is obvious there is also a danger that rather than continuing to search for suspects, the case may be closed down,” the IFJ said.
The lawyer of the wife of the murdered journalist, Miroslava Gongadze, says the investigation has reached a dead end.
In July of this year deputy chairman of the Security Office of Ukraine announced that the alleged assassin mentioned the names of those who gave him the order. Pukach’s lawyer, however, rejected that statement, arguing that his client had not provided such information.
Ukranian Attorney General Medvedko says the alleged assassin is “actively cooperating” with investigators, but that there is no more information now.
The IFJ is now calling on the Ukranian authorities to “review and renew the investigation into those who ordered the killing and to ensure they are brought to justice.”
“The brutal kidnap and murder of Gyorgy, which took place after senior Ukrainian politicians had discussed harming him, was notorious, because it underlined the impunity with which those with power could use assassination as a means to silence journalists,” said the European IFJ in a press statement on its website.
A breakthrough in the case came last summer when the alleged assassin, Oleksiy Pukach, former chief of the main criminal investigation department at the Ukrainian Interior Ministry’s foreign surveillance unit, was arrested. Yet those alleged to have ordered the murder have not been found or convicted.
“Clearly, the arrest of Pukach is a step forward in the investigation of the crime. But it is obvious there is also a danger that rather than continuing to search for suspects, the case may be closed down,” the IFJ said.
The lawyer of the wife of the murdered journalist, Miroslava Gongadze, says the investigation has reached a dead end.
In July of this year deputy chairman of the Security Office of Ukraine announced that the alleged assassin mentioned the names of those who gave him the order. Pukach’s lawyer, however, rejected that statement, arguing that his client had not provided such information.
Ukranian Attorney General Medvedko says the alleged assassin is “actively cooperating” with investigators, but that there is no more information now.
The IFJ is now calling on the Ukranian authorities to “review and renew the investigation into those who ordered the killing and to ensure they are brought to justice.”
