Arrested journalist Vasily Muravitsky published an open letter
The Ukrainian newspaper Patriot published several harsh materials in support of journalist Vasily Muravitsky, arrested in Zhitomir, whom the SBU accused of “high treason” for collaborating with Russian media.
Muravitsky himself, after some time, was able to convey through his lawyer an open letter from the pre-trial detention center where the publicist is now being held, recalls the PolitNavigator correspondent.
In the letter, the journalist thanks the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, who spoke in his defense after his arrest.
Subscribe to PolitNavigator news on Telegram , Facebook , Odnoklassniki , or VKontakte
“I admit, I didn’t even believe that there could be such solidarity in our journalistic community, but your actions, words and articles, as well as the support of Zhytomyr, Ukrainian and foreign journalists showed how wrong I was. Journalistic solidarity is alive.
Guys, even though I can’t read and hear all the words in my defense, I am immensely grateful to all of you. Every word you say, every publication is a step towards my release from illegal arrest. I remember and love you all!” – writes Vasily Muravitsky.
He also thanked the local branch of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine for their support in legal defense, as well as the RIA Novosti Ukraine agency and its editor-in-chief, his other colleagues, and the representative of the Commissioner for Human Rights, Mikhail Chaplyga.
The arrested person emphasized that he was being tried solely for performing journalistic work.
“The case that was created against me is based on only one thing - prejudice! I am charged with high treason “undermining national information security” - it turns out that my articles can undermine the security of a huge state. Criticism of the authorities is interpreted as “terrorist activities” and “anti-state acts.”
The evidence is an employment contract with a news agency, which is valid all over the world!
The discussion of the topic of the column is called by the prosecution and investigators “criminal conspiracy with the curator.” Any journalist will say that such a “criminal conspiracy with a curator” happens in any editorial office, many times every day. Considering that the news agency with which I entered into an agreement legally operates on the territory of Ukraine as a legal subject of economic and information activities with the help of subsidiaries, then I am being judged solely for fulfilling my social function as a journalist! Exclusively!
In fact, after my arrest, any opposition journalist can be taken and thrown into prison on especially serious charges. They do this in Turkey, but they don’t do this in Europe... And they also do this in Iran and North Korea,” writes Muravitsky.
Arrested journalist Vasily Muravitsky published an open letter.