Police officer’s brother sentenced to a year in prison for threatening a journalist in Lviv region
A court in the Lviv region has handed down a sentence to the brother of a police officer, who committed a serious offense aimed at obstructing a journalist’s professional activities and threatening violence.
The defendant was sentenced to one year of imprisonment under Articles 171 Part 2 and 345-1 Part 1 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code, which penalize interference with lawful journalistic work and threats of violence, respectively.
The incident occurred in 2021, when he threatened a journalist from the publication “Vybir – Human Rights Defender of Lviv Region,” who was conducting an editorial task—gathering information on police compliance with legal requirements during patrols in the Drohobych district.
It is known that the individual openly threatened to beat and kill the journalist, attempting to stop his activity.
In addition to incarceration, the court imposed a fine of 3,400 hryvnias and recovered 55,000 hryvnias in material damages and 200,000 hryvnias for moral damages in favor of the victim.
These court decisions highlight ongoing efforts to protect journalists and uphold legal responsibility for threats and obstruction.
According to the Council for Freedom of Speech and Information, in 2024, several verdicts in cases against journalists have been issued, with 10 out of 11 being guilty verdicts, demonstrating a high level of proof and active judicial proceedings in this area.
The most frequently applied article in such cases remains Article 171 of the Criminal Code, which addresses obstructing lawful journalistic activities.
Debates around pressure on journalists continue: the Ukrainian Parliament voted in the second reading for Bill No.
12320, which enables fines for mentioning clients of lawyers, raising concerns over further restrictions on press freedom and journalistic work.