Myroslava Gongadze
Encyclopedia
Myroslava Gongadze is a Ukrainian
journalist and political activist now living in the United States
. Her husband, journalist Georgiy Gongadze, was abducted and murdered in 2000. Since then she has been a prominent advocate for freedom of the press and protection of the safety of reporters in Ukraine, and has continued to work for justice in the case of her husband's murder.
was born on June 19, 1972, in Berezhany
, Ternopil Oblast
, Ukraine
. She earned a Master’s degree in civic law from Lviv University
(completed in 1997), and in the early 1990s worked as a legal consultant for local government agencies.
During the early 1990s, Petryshyn became involved in journalism and Ukrainian politics. In 1993 she was a specialist in the information department of the journal Post-Postup. In 1994 and 1995 she served as deputy director and director of the press center for the New Wave political alliance . During 1995 she was the head of the media department for the International Media Center STB
, and in 1998 was the head of public relations for the daily newspaper Day .
At the same time, Petryshyn became active in filmmaking . She was assistant director of Georgiy Gongadze's documentary short film Shadows of War about the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict
and executive producer of Dream Defenders .
Myroslava Petryshyn was married to Georgiy Gongadze in 1995, and their twin daughters were born in 1997.
Along with her husband, Myroslava Gongadze continued to work in journalistic projects opposed to the administration of President Leonid Kuchma
.
In 2000, Georgiy Gongadze was kidnapped and brutally murdered. Secret tape recordings provided by one of the president's bodyguards and released by opposition politicians implicated Kuchma in the crime. The resulting political controversy became known as the cassette scandal
, damaged Kuchma's popularity and laid part of the groundwork for the Orange Revolution
of 2004. It also brought Myroslava Gongadze to greater prominence as a campaigner for democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press in Ukraine. She has continued to seek justice in the case of her husband's abduction and murder.
She and her two children received political asylum in the United States
in 2001. In an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda
in February 2005 Myroslava Gongadze said she will come back to Ukraine if her husband's murderers and those who gave orders to murder were punished. Since arriving in the United States, Gongadze has worked as a TV and radio correspondent for VOA, a freelance correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and a visiting Scholar at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University
in Washington, D.C. In 2001, Gongadze was awarded a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowship to study the role of the media in Ukraine's transition to democracy.
In October 2009 she was ranked 91st in a top 100 of "most influential women in Ukraine" compiled by experts for the Ukrainian magazine Focus
.
Gongadze is sceptical about the political state of modern Ukraine
; in an editorial
of November 23, 2009 in The Wall Street Journal
she argued that its democracy was degenerating and its freedom of the press
at risk.
and maintaining that the death of her husband was the result of a forced disappearance and that the Ukrainian authorities failed to protect his life. She also maintains that the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, as well as the incomplete and contradictory information provided during the investigation, forced her to leave the country and caused her suffering, contrary to Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment) of the Convention. On 31 March 2005, the court declared her complaint admissible and thereby agreed to pursue her case against the State of Ukraine.
On 08-11-2005 the European Court of Human Rights passed its judgement in case of Myroslava Gongadze vs Ukraine in favor of late journalist's widow. Under the Court's ruling, Ukraine has violated articles 2, 3, 13 and 41 of the European Convention on Human Rights
by the Ukrainian power's failure to protect the right to life of the applicant's husband, Georgiy Gongadze.
According to the judgement, the investigation was not adequate and caused many moral traumas to the applicant. The court awarded the applicant 100,000 euros in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.
pledged to solve the case if he became president. Yushchenko did become president following the subsequent Orange Revolution and immediately launched a new investigation, replacing the country's prosecutor-general.
The Gongadze murder
trial
began on 9 January, 2006, in Kiev
. Three former policemen are charged with the killing of Georgiy Gongadze. Another suspect, ex-police general Oleksiy Pukach, was believed to have fled abroad but found in Ukraine in 2009 living under his real name, and was arrested and charged. On the day the trail started, Myroslava Gongadze commented on the fact that no one has been charged for ordering the killing: "They are known and they should be punished just the same as those who will be sitting in the dock today".
, in lobbying international organizations to open inquiries into the abduction and killing of Georgiy Gongadze. They have received support from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as well as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
. In 2001, the European Parliament
resolved to convene an international committee to investigate the case.
The Foundation has also worked with the Ukrainian Gold Cross to financially support the families of other murdered Ukrainian journalists such as Ihor Aleksandrov.
The Gongadze Foundation is dedicated to the following goals:
At the second anniversary of Georgiy Gongadze's disappearance, the Gongadze Foundation organized the "Requiem 2002" program including memorial services and protests at Ukrainian embassies and consulates. The activities were supported by Freedom House
and the Committee to Protect Journalists
, and received letters of support from several members of the United States House of Representatives
.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
journalist and political activist now living in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Her husband, journalist Georgiy Gongadze, was abducted and murdered in 2000. Since then she has been a prominent advocate for freedom of the press and protection of the safety of reporters in Ukraine, and has continued to work for justice in the case of her husband's murder.
Biography
Myroslava Petryshynwas born on June 19, 1972, in Berezhany
Berezhany
Berezhany is a city located in the Ternopil Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Berezhanskyi Raion , and rests about 100 km from Lviv and 50 km from the oblast capital, Ternopil. The city has a population of about 20,000, and is about 400 m above sea level...
, Ternopil Oblast
Ternopil Oblast
Ternopil Oblast is an oblast' of Ukraine. Its administrative center is Ternopil, through which flows the Seret River, a tributary of the Dnister.-Geography:...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. She earned a Master’s degree in civic law from Lviv University
Lviv University
The Lviv University or officially the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is the oldest continuously operating university in Ukraine...
(completed in 1997), and in the early 1990s worked as a legal consultant for local government agencies.
During the early 1990s, Petryshyn became involved in journalism and Ukrainian politics. In 1993 she was a specialist in the information department of the journal Post-Postup. In 1994 and 1995 she served as deputy director and director of the press center for the New Wave political alliance . During 1995 she was the head of the media department for the International Media Center STB
STB (Channel)
STB is a Ukrainian commercial television network. Today, the coverage area of the network is 85% of Ukraine's territory. It is broadcast in all oblast centers and all Ukrainian cities with a population greater than 50,000...
, and in 1998 was the head of public relations for the daily newspaper Day .
At the same time, Petryshyn became active in filmmaking . She was assistant director of Georgiy Gongadze's documentary short film Shadows of War about the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict
and executive producer of Dream Defenders .
Myroslava Petryshyn was married to Georgiy Gongadze in 1995, and their twin daughters were born in 1997.
Along with her husband, Myroslava Gongadze continued to work in journalistic projects opposed to the administration of President Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Kuchma
Leonid Danylovych Kuchma was the second President of independent Ukraine from 19 July 1994, to 23 January 2005. Kuchma took office after winning the 1994 presidential election against his rival, incumbent Leonid Kravchuk...
.
In 2000, Georgiy Gongadze was kidnapped and brutally murdered. Secret tape recordings provided by one of the president's bodyguards and released by opposition politicians implicated Kuchma in the crime. The resulting political controversy became known as the cassette scandal
Cassette Scandal
The Cassette Scandal , also known as "Tapegate" and "Kuchmagate", erupting in 2000, was one of the main political events in Ukraine's post-independence history...
, damaged Kuchma's popularity and laid part of the groundwork for the Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...
of 2004. It also brought Myroslava Gongadze to greater prominence as a campaigner for democracy, human rights, and freedom of the press in Ukraine. She has continued to seek justice in the case of her husband's abduction and murder.
She and her two children received political asylum in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2001. In an interview with Ukrayinska Pravda
Ukrayinska Pravda
Ukrayinska Pravda is a popular Ukrainian internet newspaper, founded by Georgiy R. Gongadze in April, 2000...
in February 2005 Myroslava Gongadze said she will come back to Ukraine if her husband's murderers and those who gave orders to murder were punished. Since arriving in the United States, Gongadze has worked as a TV and radio correspondent for VOA, a freelance correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and a visiting Scholar at the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in Washington, D.C. In 2001, Gongadze was awarded a Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowship to study the role of the media in Ukraine's transition to democracy.
In October 2009 she was ranked 91st in a top 100 of "most influential women in Ukraine" compiled by experts for the Ukrainian magazine Focus
Focus (Ukrainian magazine)
Focus is a national Ukrainian weekly news magazine in Russian language published in Kiev and distributed throughout the country. The base auditory of the magazine are the people of high and above high level of income between 25 to 45 years of age that live in the 40 biggest metropolises of Ukraine...
.
Gongadze is sceptical about the political state of modern Ukraine
Politics of Ukraine
Politics of Ukraine take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Cabinet. Legislative power is vested in the parliament...
; in an editorial
Editorial
An opinion piece is an article, published in a newspaper or magazine, that mainly reflects the author's opinion about the subject. Opinion pieces are featured in many periodicals.-Editorials:...
of November 23, 2009 in The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
she argued that its democracy was degenerating and its freedom of the press
Freedom of the press in Ukraine
Although press freedom in Ukraine has never been rated higher that "partly free" by Freedom House it is still considered to be among the freest of all post-Soviet states and has significantly improved since the Orange Revolution of 2004...
at risk.
European Court of Human Rights
On 16 September 2002 she lodged a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights citing Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human RightsEuropean Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
and maintaining that the death of her husband was the result of a forced disappearance and that the Ukrainian authorities failed to protect his life. She also maintains that the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, as well as the incomplete and contradictory information provided during the investigation, forced her to leave the country and caused her suffering, contrary to Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment) of the Convention. On 31 March 2005, the court declared her complaint admissible and thereby agreed to pursue her case against the State of Ukraine.
On 08-11-2005 the European Court of Human Rights passed its judgement in case of Myroslava Gongadze vs Ukraine in favor of late journalist's widow. Under the Court's ruling, Ukraine has violated articles 2, 3, 13 and 41 of the European Convention on Human Rights
European Convention on Human Rights
The Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by the then newly formed Council of Europe, the convention entered into force on 3 September 1953...
by the Ukrainian power's failure to protect the right to life of the applicant's husband, Georgiy Gongadze.
According to the judgement, the investigation was not adequate and caused many moral traumas to the applicant. The court awarded the applicant 100,000 euros in respect of pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.
2006 murder trial
During the 2004 presidential campaign, the opposition candidate Viktor YushchenkoViktor Yushchenko
Viktor Andriyovych Yushchenko is a former President of Ukraine. He took office on January 23, 2005, following a period of popular unrest known as the Orange Revolution...
pledged to solve the case if he became president. Yushchenko did become president following the subsequent Orange Revolution and immediately launched a new investigation, replacing the country's prosecutor-general.
The Gongadze murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
trial
Trial (law)
In law, a trial is when parties to a dispute come together to present information in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court...
began on 9 January, 2006, in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. Three former policemen are charged with the killing of Georgiy Gongadze. Another suspect, ex-police general Oleksiy Pukach, was believed to have fled abroad but found in Ukraine in 2009 living under his real name, and was arrested and charged. On the day the trail started, Myroslava Gongadze commented on the fact that no one has been charged for ordering the killing: "They are known and they should be punished just the same as those who will be sitting in the dock today".
The Gongadze Foundation
In order to promote the investigation of her husband's murder, and to promote freedom of the press and safety for other reporters and political activists in Ukraine, Myroslava Gongadze founded the Gongadze Foundation in 2001. The Foundation has worked with other journalists' organizations, such as Reporters Without BordersReporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders is a France-based international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press. It was founded in 1985, by Robert Ménard, Rony Brauman and the journalist Jean-Claude Guillebaud. Jean-François Julliard has served as Secretary General since 2008...
, in lobbying international organizations to open inquiries into the abduction and killing of Georgiy Gongadze. They have received support from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe as well as the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
. In 2001, the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
resolved to convene an international committee to investigate the case.
The Foundation has also worked with the Ukrainian Gold Cross to financially support the families of other murdered Ukrainian journalists such as Ihor Aleksandrov.
The Gongadze Foundation is dedicated to the following goals:
- "To protect journalists’ rights, political and intellectual freedoms;
- To provide legal assistance;
- To develop continuing education programs for journalists;
- To help the families of reporters who have unjustly suffered while performing their professional duties."
At the second anniversary of Georgiy Gongadze's disappearance, the Gongadze Foundation organized the "Requiem 2002" program including memorial services and protests at Ukrainian embassies and consulates. The activities were supported by Freedom House
Freedom House
Freedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
and the Committee to Protect Journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists is an independent nonprofit organisation based in New York City that promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.-History:A group of U.S...
, and received letters of support from several members of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
See also
- Ukrayinska PravdaUkrayinska PravdaUkrayinska Pravda is a popular Ukrainian internet newspaper, founded by Georgiy R. Gongadze in April, 2000...
- Mykola Mel'nychenko
- Politics of UkrainePolitics of UkrainePolitics of Ukraine take place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the Cabinet. Legislative power is vested in the parliament...
- History of UkraineHistory of UkraineThe territory of Ukraine was a key center of East Slavic culture in the Middle Ages, before being divided between a variety of powers. However, the history of Ukraine dates back many thousands of years. The territory has been settled continuously since at least 5000 BC, and is also a candidate site...