Information about crimes connected to Inter TV Channel on two counts that are being investigated as a prejudicial inquiry has been included by the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's main investigation department into the national register of pre-trial investigations.
In particular, the prejudicial inquiry concerns crimes under Part 1 of Article 171 (impeding journalists’ legitimate professional activity) and Part 2 of Article 364 (abuse of office) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the Interior Ministry announced on its website.
According to the ministry, in 1997 and 1999 unidentified officials of Ukraine’s State Property Fund abused office, having illegally sold 20 percent of Inter TV Channel’s shares to private persons, as a result of which the state’s losses exceeded $800 million. And in 2010-2011, unidentified officials from among Inter TV Channel’s founders exerted their authority to influence TV journalists’ information policy, thus controlling the content of broadcasts.
