Putin’s way: Ukrainians react to the shutdown of the “Pryamiy”, “Espresso”, “Channel 5” TV channels

Ukrainian “Pryamiy”, “Espresso”, and “Channel 5” TV channels were shut down – Ukrainian politicians, public officials, and activists claim it to be an infringement on freedom of speech.

They shared their thoughts on the situation on their social media.

Particularly, the chief editor of the “Censor.NET” news agency Yuriy Butusov thinks, that the freedom of speech infringement on the truly patriotic TV channels shows the government’s disregard for all Ukrainians.

“Only the freedom of speech ensures the population control over the government. An Uncontrolled government is a danger, as we have learned many times over many years. We demand to enable their broadcast immediately and stop shaming Ukraine by attempting to silence what doesn’t fit your desired opinion. Seems like the President’s Office spends precious time on political wars, instead of military development and mobilization”, he says

President of the “Corruption Prevention Center” public organization Vitaliy Shabunin points out, that the removal of the opposition’s TV channels marked the beginning of Putin’s censorship.

Zelenskyy’s decree on unified informational policy or how to ensure freedom of speech’s safety in Ukraine
“Channel 5”, “Pryamyi”, “Espresso” must be brought back into broadcast immediately. Ukraine is not Russia”, says the message.

According to “European Solidarity” party member Oleksiy Honcharenko’s words, journalists have already addressed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the shutdown of the abovementioned TV channels.

“Why? What have they done? Channels support the government and its actions. They work for victory! All their airtime was deducted from the shared telethon. If this is the reason for the shutdown, wander what will remain”, he wrote.

Oleksandr Sushko, a politologist, is sure, that an independent channel shut down may cause a division in society, which is especially dangerous during the war with Russia.

“Disabling the independent pro-Ukrainian channel broadcasting is an act of sabotage, aimed to divide the Ukrainian unity in face of an armed incursion”, says the message.

Iryna Gerashchenko, the co-Chair of the “European Solidarity” party, stressed that she disapproves of the creation of a totalitarian society.

“Even war is not the cause to create the fundament of a totalitarian society, where no word is free and democracy is forbidden”, she wrote.

Serhiy Vysotskyy, the people’s politician, preserved aloofness.

“As for the shutdown of “Pryamiy”, “Espresso”, “Channel 5″ TV channels”, I have only one comment to say: smaller the explosions, louder the rats!”, says the message.

Even more, the editor of “European truth” press Serhey Sydorenko called the shutdown of “Pryamiy”, “Espresso”, “Channel 5” TV channels political censorship and stressed, that dictatorship is silent in the beginning. This is how Russian censorship developed.

Previously, the journalists of “Pryamiy” and “Channel 5” have published an open letter due to the illegal removal of those two channels by the “RRT” Radio, Broadcast, and Television Concern. In the open letter, the journalists have emphasized, that they stay true to the state unified information policy principle, and the lion’s share of the airtime was deducted from the nationwide telethon, thus complying with the respecting President’s Decree.

This is true for “Pryamiy” TV channel, which started the telethon on February 24th, 2022, when Putin declared war on Ukraine and its people. Channel’s position was always based on the pro-Ukrainian and pro-European interests of Ukraine. Journalists have always shown the truth and fought the fakes of the Russian propaganda machine.

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