National Police Launches Investigation into Political Censorship in Telethon – Irina Gerashchenko

The National Police opened a criminal case, entered information into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations and began a pre-trial investigation into the fact of political censorship in the “Edinye Novosti” telethon.

This was reported on social networks by the co-chair of the European Solidarity faction Irina Gerashchenko . She also published the corresponding document.

“European Solidarity” sent the relevant appeals about the commission of a criminal offense at the “Unified News” marathon of the National Police to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, from which we are still awaiting a response,” Gerashchenko noted.

“I hope that after the resumption of their independent work, the anti-corruption bodies will also become interested in what has been called the “Marathon” for 3.5 years. Where 2 billion hryvnias of the state budget go every year, for legalized political censorship. Because political censorship has created the basis for complete impunity of the authorities and corruption of unprecedented proportions,” the deputy is convinced.

“Let me remind you that the funds of the Rada TV channel go to the Kinokit company, which is closely connected to the OP. There has been no opposition on the Rada TV channel for 4 years now. As co-chairs of the faction, we have never had the opportunity to present our position on any bill there, nor have other members of our team,” Gerashchenko states.

“I sincerely hope that the cool journalists of the marathon, who came out en masse to the cardboard protest, will be braver than the cardboard, and will honestly tell the law enforcement agencies the motives for why they worked for 3.5 years under the orders, and most importantly, who gave them to them. After all, there must be some explanation why only “servants” and freelance advisers to the OP and experts on the banned Medvedchuk channels are on the air of the marathon, but not once – deputies from the opposition faction “ES”, – notes Irina Gerashchenko.

“We are also looking forward to the meeting of the relevant committee on freedom of speech, which should shout about political censorship. Thank you to Yevgeny Lesny for the courage to be the first,” the people’s deputy wrote.

25.07.2025, on the instructions of the deputy head of the inquiry department of the Shevchenkivskyi police department Lysenko D.S., based on the facts set out in the appeal of the “ES” deputies received by the Shevchenkivskyi police department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv under No. 155332-2025 / 1-59 of investigation No. 12025105100001173, a pre-trial investigation was initiated on the grounds of committing a criminal offense under Part 1 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Obstruction of the lawful professional activities of a journalist). Information about the criminal offense under Part 1 of Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, in accordance with the requirements of Part 1, 4 of Article 214 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, was entered by the investigator of the inquiry department of the Shevchenkivskyi police department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kyiv.

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