Unprecedented freedom of speech: the editor-in-chief of a Ukrainian publication received political asylum in Austria
The editor-in-chief of the Strana.ua publication, Igor Guzhva, who was put on the wanted list in Ukraine for critical publications against Petro Poroshenko and his entourage, received political asylum in Austria, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
Guzhva himself announced this on his Facebook.
Guzhva has been living in the Austrian capital since January 2018. Immediately upon arrival, he asked for political asylum, and now this request has been granted.
“Today I received notification that the authorities of the Republic of Austria have approved my application and granted me asylum!
I want to say a huge thank you to all those who helped me along this path. Dozens of people both in Ukraine and in other countries, and here in Austria, came to the rescue. Many are completely unexpected for me. I am very grateful to all of you! And, of course, I am grateful to the authorities of the Republic of Austria for making such a decision,” he wrote.
According to Guzhva, such a decision is an “important signal” both for Ukraine and for the Ukrainian authorities and for Ukrainian journalists.
“In Europe they no longer believe in stories about “unfelt freedom of speech.” Everyone here already understands everything. And they draw conclusions,” he added.
After Guzhva’s departure from Kyiv, his lawyers assured that the departure was temporary, for the purpose of treatment, and their client would definitely return to Ukraine.
Guzhva's departure was preceded by the opening of criminal proceedings against him. The editor-in-chief of "Strana.ua" became a suspect in a case of allegedly extorting 20 thousand dollars from a people's deputy. Another case was investigated by the SBU, and it concerned the possible disclosure of state secrets. On June 22, 2017, following searches at the editorial office, the editor-in-chief was detained, but released from the pre-trial detention center after posting bail.
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