All news

Supreme Court of Ukraine accepts lawsuits from banned opposition TV channels

The hearings were scheduled for late March - early April

KIEV, March 4. /TASS/. The Supreme Court of Ukraine accepted several lawsuits from Ukrainian TV channels, hit with sanctions by the National Security and Defense Council, enacted by the president on February 2, 112 Ukraine TV channel reported Wednesday.

"Proceedings are already underway on three lawsuits from [NewsOne and 112 Ukraine owner companies]," the report says.

The hearings were scheduled for late March - early April.

"On plaintiffs’ application, the court requested documents from the President of Ukraine and the National Defense and Security Council that served as grounds for sanctions," the TV channel said.

On plaintiff’s request, representatives of the Council, Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and Verkhovna Rada were involved as third party.

"Thus, the bodies involved in preparation of sanctions against the TV channels will face the court in an open judicial process, where they will have to testify on specific facts that served as grounds for shutdown of the TV channels," the report underscores.

On February 2, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky enacted the ruling of the Council on sanctions against 112 Ukraine, NewsOne and Zik TV channels, as well as their owner, Opposition Platform - For Life political party lawmaker Taras Kozak. The head of state claimed that these resources are funded from Russia and carry out informational war against Ukraine. The three channels stopped broadcasting that same day. Following the imposition of sanctions, one hundred journalists from the closed channels established a new one - the First Independent channel - which started broadcasting on February 26, but was unplugged from satellite broadcasting and cable networks in just one hour.