H.E. Leonid Kuchma
President
Office of the President
Vul. Bankova 11
252005 Kiev
Ukraine

Fax: +380-44-293 10 01 / 293 73 64 / 291 61 61

Vienna, 17 December 2003

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives, and leading journalists in over 120 countries, is deeply concerned about the death of Volodymyr Karachevtsev, chairman of the Independent Regional Union of Journalists, acting editor-in-chief of Kuryer newspaper, and a reporter for the vlasti.net web publication.

According to information provided to IPI, Karachevtsev died on 14 December in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhya Region, under suspicious circumstances. He was apparently discovered hanged on the handle of a fridge. Forensic experts found his death was the result of mechanical asphyxia caused by hanging. Police believe this was an accident, but have not ruled out murder.

Ihor Jenin, Karachevtsev’s editor-in-chief at Kuryer, has also not ruled out the possibility of murder. In the past, Karachevtsev received several death threats after writing articles about corruption among local government officials and businessmen. Karachevtsev’s wife also claims that his death was not an accident or a suicide. Furthermore, it is unclear how an adult may be hanged on the handle of a fridge.

IPI is deeply concerned about the situation in the Ukraine. Karachevtsev is not the first Ukrainian journalist to be found dead in suspicious circumstances. In October 2002, news agency director Mykhailo Kolomiets was found hanging from a tree in a forest in neighbouring Belarus; while there has been a long running controversy over the September 2000 death of Internet journalist Georgi Gongadze who was found decapitated.

Since Ukraine gained independence in 1991, 18 journalists have died because of their work. Many of these cases remain unsolved or heavily disputed and there have been accusations that the police have failed to carry out proper investigations.

With the above in mind, IPI condemns this latest violation of press freedom and calls on Your Excellency to ensure that there is a thorough police investigation into this murder and that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice. We further urge the Ukrainian government to work with the media to create an open environment in Ukraine that allows journalists to practice their profession free of harassment and the threat of death.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director