Ukraine: Journalist Anastasiya Bereziy was threatened with a gun while on the ground

September 25, 2020, Kyiv, Ukraine -- In Kyiv, a car accident ended with threats to journalists. The car accident happened on Vadym Hetman Street on September 21 when a drunk driver crashed his car into an electric pole. According to eyewitnesses the driver was also speeding and almost hit a woman with a small child.

Щойно цей неадекват перезарядив зброю біля нашої знімальної групи та наставив пістолет моєму оператору в ногу, коли ми...

Posted by Анастасія Березій on Sunday, September 20, 2020

Magnolia TV reporters Yegor Serdiuk and Anastasiya Bereziy were on the scene covering the accident when the intoxicated man pointed a gun to the journalists trying to prevent them from filming. 

Anastasiya then ran to the police officers nearaby and told the incident however police officers refused to take action claiming that it was “only an air pistol”.

The journalists then went to the police headquarters and filed a complaint about the inaction of the police. They asked the officers to look at CCTV recordings and conduct an official inspection. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled by the demeanour of the police officers who ignored this clear act of violence and impediment at work. We have documented several other threats and attacks against women journalists in Ukraine that are left with impunity. We call upon authorities  to thoroughly investigate the threat and not only bring the perpetrator to justice but also launch a disciplinary action against the police officers who failed to protect journalists.