Ukraine: Ex-Police Officer Sentenced For Attacking Maria Lebedeva During Maidan Protests
The Coalition For Women In Journalism commends the court for finding the officer guilty and acknowledging the attack on a journalist doing her job
Location: Ukraine, Kyiv
Date: July 12, 2023
After a decade-long legal battle, an ex-special forces police officer is sentenced to five years in prison for using excessive force against journalist Maria Lebedeva during the police crackdown on protests in Maidan Square in 2013. The Coalition For Women In Journalism commends Lebedeva's persistence for justice and welcomes the ruling.
On July 12, in a long-awaited verdict, Ruslan Marchuk - a former police officer of the Bakut special forces - was sentenced to a five-year suspended sentence with a two-year probation for his excessive use of force against journalist Maria Lebedeva during the 2013 Maidan protests.
“I believe that Marchuk committed an attack on me and a crime against me, clearly realizing that I am a journalist and with the specific goal of preventing me from filming their actions, their crimes,” Lebedeva told the Kyiv court.
Judges also imposed a two-year ban on Marchuk from holding any job in law enforcement and ordered him to pay 50,000 UAH ($1,360) in damages to the reporter.
During the trial, Lebedeva expressed her belief that Marchuk intentionally targeted her as a journalist aiming to prevent her from filming the aggressive actions of Bakut officers during the protests.
“He perfectly heard my words and saw my ID card,” recalled the reporter. “But deliberately ignored them, grabbed my hands, and tried to knock me to the ground under the feet of the security forces.”
Key evidence presented at the trial was a video of the Bakut officer violently assaulting the journalist and protestors.
Lebedeva - who has worked as a journalist for 18 years - claimed Marchuk displayed arrogance and constantly attempted to undermine her professional integrity throughout the trial. She suggested that his remorse, if any, was merely a result of being caught on camera by journalists.
Marchuk was found guilty on all charges, which included using excessive force, illegally obstructing a peaceful assembly, executing a criminal order, and impeding the professional activities of journalists.
Lebedeva welcomed the court's decision, expressing her satisfaction that her rights as a journalist had been acknowledged.
Maidan Protests in Ukraine
In 2013, Ukraine grappled with a deteriorating political and business landscape under pro-Kremlin President Viktor Yanukovych. In a pivotal move, Yanukovych refused to sign an Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013, opting instead for a loan from Russia. This decision triggered widespread protests across Ukraine, with the largest gathering in Kyiv's Independence Square, Maidan Nezalezhnosti. These protests ultimately evolved into a revolution until February 2014, forcing Yanukovych to flee to Russia.
Police violence against protestors escalated during the demonstrations, and over 100 people died. In 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Ukrainian authorities violated human rights during the Maidan protests. The court found multiple violations, including torture, denial of liberty, and infringement on the right to assembly and association.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism applauds the Ukrainian courts for recognizing that Marchuk’s assault on Lebedeva - as well as being violent - was a direct infringement of her rights as a journalist. The excessive force was meant to intimidate the reporter and prevent her from filming the police’s crackdown on peaceful protestors. Although the procedure was lengthy, we commend the court’s decision and stand in solidarity with Lebedeva, whose relentless pursuit of justice resulted in this victory for press freedom.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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