From Odessa Jail: Imprisoned Journalist Writes Open Letter to OSCE


"Antifascist" website came into possession of the open letter written by the journalist Elena Glischinskaya who was arrested in April of this year in Odessa

original in Russian here http://antifashist.com/item/tyuremnye-zapiski-iz-odessy-ot-arestovannoj-zhurnalistki.html

In this letter she has called upon the OSCE and other international organizations to direct their attention to the legal and judicial chaos in Ukraine. We publish a letter of the journalist unchanged and with no cuts, hoping that it would somehow reach the addressee.
Attention of OSCE Coordinator in Ukraine,
01034, Ukraine, Kiev,
Streletskaya St. 16
from
Glischinskaya, Elena Anatolevna,
currently under investigation,
DOB 16/09/1974,
held in pre-trial facility No.21
since 29 of April 2015 under Art. 14 Part 1,
Art. 110 h. 2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine
Open letter
I, the undersigned, a professional journalist, mother of two minor children, appeal to you with the last hope for protection against arbitrary actions from the law enforcement officials who carry out the orders of the authorities to eliminate the unbiased journalists, citizen activists and potential political rivals.
I became the prisoner and the victim of the political regime in Ukraine. I am currently being held in custody solely for having faithfully performed my journalistic and civic duty, for openly voicing my opinion. Over the past five years I have been working in the south of the Odessa region for various media outlets - newspapers, TV. My publications on the subject of the history and culture of Bessarabia received awards at many international professional competitions. I was regarded as an expert and regularly took part in international programs and conferences regarding Bessarabia. But now my community work - such as the organization of two round tables "The Many Faces of Bessarabia" on the development of cultural and social initiatives, as well as my participation in a sanctioned rally held by employees of Belgorod-Dniester Commercial Port in defense of their jobs, - these activities now form the basis for accusing me of separatism. Those in charge of pre-trial investigation, namely SBU [ Security Services of Ukraine] have offered me a plea deal: to admit to separatism and anti-government activities in exchange for lenient treatment in court. At the same time they told me openly that they must fulfill certain quota for persecuting this category of crimes, and my case, according to their plan, had to result in pleading guilty and making a deal with the prosecutor's office and the court. In my opinion, this kind of the approach in finding and denouncing "criminals against the state" undermines the democratic and legal foundations of the state. Hundreds of people currently languish in Ukrainian prisons on similarly fabricated charges.
I am an honest journalist and a patriot of my city, of my region, I have been for a long time engaged in civic, social and charitable activities. One gets the impression that by aggressively trying to extract a confession, by manipulating my own children, by threats against me, the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine are covering the real criminals - officials, MPs, corrupt officials who, by tearing our country apart from within are the true cause of dissent and resentment in the region. If one was to examine the allegations held against me, it becomes clear that the SBU investigation lacks any evidence supporting the claim that my efforts were aimed at violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine To the contrary, the public information widely available from the local media covering the round tables and the worker's manifestation clearly demonstrates the peaceful, constructive, patriotic nature of these events - the facts SBU prefers to ignore. Instead, the case for the prosecution is built on unfounded assumptions, whereas the facts presented in a biased, one-sided way. The search of my house yielded no results, nevertheless the computers of my children, even books on journalism and on the history of the Odessa region were confiscated as "incriminating evidence". The accusation is based on information taken completely out of context from the materials relevant to my professional activity. The accusation is formulated as follows: "My professional activities could possibly create conditions in a future, when the population would start thinking that the state cannot cope with its functions in the south of the Odessa region, and this could create a danger of Bessarabia leaving Ukraine." This preposterous suggestion was enough to send me to jail. I would especially like to draw attention to the fact that justice in Ukraine is completely subordinated to the instructions emanating from the authorities and law enforcement agencies. As the court was making the decision about preventive measures against me, my lawyer pointed out that SBU investigation presented no evidence of my alleged [criminal] activities, but the court ignored his plea and ruled to take me into custody. It has been 50 days since I was imprisoned, the only thing I am "guilty" of - objective journalistic work, attention to the problems of ordinary people; I have never deviated from my principles and did not distort the information in favor of those in power. What is happening now is an attempt to force journalists to "shut their mouths". to silence the truth, to get rid of active, thinking citizens. Such pressure from the government, such ideological siege has not been seen since the days of Stalin. In fact, today, the media have become puppets of the authorities, their mouthpiece for militant propaganda - under the threat of violent reprisals in case of dissent. By making me an example [of what's going to happen to dissenters], they will force into silence many regional journalists and social activists. I came face to face with blatant lies, injustice, arbitrariness of law enforcement and the lack of freedom of speech in Ukraine. All democratic principles for which people fought and died on Maidan Square are now being violated and perverted. In late June the term of my confinement will expire and the investigating authorities of the SBU are preparing a court petition to extend my detention. During this time, no new evidence against me has been found, while at the only formal interrogation session held since I pleaded innocent once again. However, I realize that they can leave me in jail indefinitely.
I beg you to pay attention to my situation, as well as to the fate of hundreds of political prisoners of the regime in Ukraine. I am ready to defend my innocence in court - all I am asking is for help in resisting the lawlessness that rules in our government , lawlessness that fabricated charges against me and will do everything to keep me in prison.
Signed:
. Glischinskaya E.A. "
Well-known Odessa journalist Elena Glischinskaya was arrested by SBU on April 7, 2015 on suspicion of separatism and anti-government activities. She is a social activist, participant in the regional branch of the People's Party. As an activist of the "Black Sea Region Development Fund" she took part in ethnographic, urban studies of villages and towns of Budzhaka area together with scientists from Odessa National University and and local research institutions.


More details: http://antifashist.com/item/tyuremnye-zapiski-iz-odessy-ot-arestovannoj-zhurnalistki.html#ixzz3eZhuhUPP

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