Russia: CFWIJ condemns Daria Sivukhina’s dismissal from work because of state pressure

January 10, 2020, Moscow - Journalist Daria Sivukhina was fired from her job on the orders of the mayor. The mayor’s office, it appears, created several professional hurdles for Daria, in retribution for Daria’s support of the mayor’s rival candidate. The issue was further aggravated when a humiliating video of the mayor was telecasted on national television through the broadcast network that employed Daria.

Director of the Zlatoust TV channel "Zlat-TV" Daria Sivukhina was dismissed on January 10, 2020, by the order of the mayor's office. Daria was a supporter of ex-mayor Vyacheslav Zhilin, who was dismissed at the request of governor Alexei Teksler, and replaced by Mayor Maxim Pekarsky/ This apparently resulted in the state targeting her, following the broadcast of an embarrassing video of Mayor Perkarsky on Zlat-TV. 

Daria complained to the Union of Journalists that she was being pressured by state forces to testify against Mayor Zhilin. However, a criminal case was registered against her employer firm nonetheless, resulting in Zlatoust network deciding to change its director. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns the dismissal of Daria Sivukhina in the strongest terms. The state going after a journalist to settle personal scores is engaging in a blatant display of abuse of power and needs to be stopped to ensure the safety of civil society.