Recommendation 1497 (2001)

Freedom of expression and the functioning of parliamentary democracy in Ukraine

Author(s): Parliamentary Assembly

Origin - Assembly debate on 25 January 2001 (6th Sitting) (see Doc. 8945,report of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe, rapporteurs: Ms Severinsen and Ms Wohlwend, Doc. 8955, opinion of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, rapporteur: Mr Eörsi andDoc. 8946opinion of the Committee on Culture, Science and Education, rapporteur: Mr Urbanczyk). Text adopted by the Assembly on 25 January 2001 (7th sitting)

1. The Assembly refers to its Resolution 1239 (2001) on freedom of expression and the functioning of parliamentary democracy in Ukraine, and recommends to the Committee of Ministers:

1.1. to call on the Ukrainian authorities to inform it on the results of the investigation into the disappearance or death of the journalist Heorhiy Gongadze as soon as possible;

1.2. provided a request is issued by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine:

a. to arrange for an independent examination of the original audio-tapes in order to establish their authenticity;

b. to arrange for an independent examination in order to establish the exact time and the reasons of death of the corpse found near Tarascha, including a new DNA expertise of that body;

c. to provide for the results of these examinations to be published;

1.3. to ask the governments of the member states of the Council of Europe to grant political asylum to Mr Melnychenko, a former member of the Security Service of the President of Ukraine, if such a request is forwarded by him;

1.4. to provide greater assistance to Ukraine in order to achieve a noticeable improvement of the general framework in which media operate and to promote substantial changes in the media culture of its officials and journalists.