You're reading: Donetsk regional lawmaker calls for muzzling of local critical media outlet

A Donetsk regional lawmaker has called for the closure of one of the few independent media outlets that offers criticial journalism in President Viktor Yanukovych’s stronghold of political support. 

In an online spat on Facebook with Novyny
Donbassa, Donetsk Oblast councilman Volodymyr Ahatiy said that it was time to “shut
down this provocative ‘lying Donetsk’ news outlet.”

The comment was in reference to an article
the independent news outlet posted on its website that said police
units were on their way to Kyiv. The headline implied that they were en route to
reinforce an already large law enforcement presence in the capital where a
tense standoff has been under way since Jan. 19 between anti-government
protesters and police along Khrushevsky Street.

The chief editor of Novyny Donbassa, Oleksiy
Matsuka, would not comment on the online exchange with the regional lawmaker. Also
the head of investigative journalism portal Donetska Pravda, Matsuka has
received death
threats
for his investigations into corruption in the region. He also has
been followed
around Donetsk
by unknown men for days at a time and has experienced office
break-ins and arson at his residence. His colleague, Vitaliy Sizov, also has
also been spied on.

Both have filed police reports concerning the
incidents, but no findings have been reported.

Ahatiy didn’t respond to a Facebook message from
the Kyiv Post and the number for his office wasn’t answered. Donetsk Oblast
State Administration public relations officer Oksana Maltabar’s cell phone wasn’t
answered.

Ahatiy is the director of state-run Donetsk
Coal and Energy Company.

The
news comes a day after a hardcore fan club of the Shakhtar Donetsk soccer team posted a video voicing
their support for EuroMaidan. They said they would protect the much smaller local
anti-government demonstration in Donetsk from hired thugs aligned with the
government. 

According
to Matsuka the fan group supporting the protesters number up to 100. 

Shakhtar
Donetsk is owned by Ukraine’s richest billionaire, Rinat Akhmetov, who is a
longtime acquaintance and ally of the president. 

Kyiv Post editor Mark Rachkevych can be reached at [email protected].