Portnov Claims Pressure from Journalists and Activists, Calling Them an “Organized Group”

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Former deputy head of Viktor Yanukovych's administration, Andriy Portnov, called the members of the Media Movement an “organized group” and described the statement of the Media Movement calling on the president to submit sanctions against Portnov to the National Security and Defense Council as “denunciation.” This is stated in Portnov's address to the members of the Media Movement sent on January 8.

This happened after Yaroslava Volvach, head of the investigation department at Hromadske and a representative of the Media Movement, submitted a petition to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on December 24, calling for the National Security and Defense Council to consider imposing sanctions on Andriy Portnov.

A similar petition was refused to be published on the president's website four times, citing its “non-compliance with the requirements.” At the same time, the petition was published on the government's website for the first time. After that, on December 28, Andriy Portnov, through his representative Karina Mikityan, appealed to the government to remove the petition from the website. As Portnov's representative explained, the posting of the petition against him violates Portnov's rights and freedoms and, therefore, contravenes the law.  As of January 8, the government has not responded to the request to remove the petition - the petition has gained more than 20,000 votes so far.

The Media Movement supports this petition and calls for its signature.

In a letter sent by Andriy Portnov on January 8 and addressed to members of the Media Movement, along with Ukrainian media professionals and NGOs, he said that “so-called civic activists” were putting pressure on the “National Security and Defense Council and the state leadership to further accuse them of inaction.” Portnov called the statement of the Media Movement itself a denunciation motivated by revenge against him:

“This surge of activity ... is carried out not in connection with my influence on the court, but for reasons of revenge and hostility and is aimed at putting pressure on the National Security and Defense Council and the state leadership to further accuse them of inaction.”

“We are dealing with a new phenomenon when uniting in an organized group of so-called civic activists, they try to run the country, put pressure on officials, and try to present their private interests as public opinion,” said Andriy Portnov, adding that none of the grounds for imposing sanctions by the National Security and Defense Council in Ukraine are related to him. 

In addition, Andriy Portnov reminded that Ukrainian courts have repeatedly upheld his lawsuits against media and civil society organizations. According to Andriy Portnov, he wins cases against media professionals and civil society organizations by applying to the already reformed courts. 

“For almost 11 years, I have not been working in the civil service, and today, I am actually filing lawsuits not to the court that existed 11 years ago. I am now appealing to the court, which has repeatedly undergone a complete reform with the participation of not only a significant part of the authors of the above-mentioned Statement but also dozens of their partners...” Portnov said in a statement.

In particular, Andriy Portnov mentioned that:

“In my court cases, the defendants, some of whom are both disseminators and signatories of the Statement, have common features - as a rule, they act in a conflict of interest, out of personal revenge, resentment for consistent and long-term criticism of them or for collective reasons of protecting their colleagues or information partners,” Portnov said. He believes that US sanctions against him will be lifted in the foreseeable future.

He also added that journalists and activists, who signed the Media Movement's statement, “have no moral right to public activity during the war—unless they themselves are defending their homeland at the front.” According to him, he himself adheres to this principle.

“Since the beginning of Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, I have not been publicly active. And having legal grounds for deferment from service, as a father of four young children born in 2012, 2014, 2019, and 2022, I refrain from commenting, criticizing or offering expert opinions. Because I believe that only people directly involved in government and military decision-making, defenders of the Motherland and those who provide military logistics, build military infrastructure, military journalists, and recognized military experts have the moral right to publicly comment on government, foreign and domestic policy, the actions of the authorities and the situation at the front,” Portnov said. 

Ukrainian courts have repeatedly upheld the lawsuits filed by former MP Andriy Portnov against the media and civil society organizations. This is despite the fact that there are serious grounds for criticizing his activities. Therefore, the Media Movement calls on the President of Ukraine, in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Sanctions”, to submit proposals for the National Security and Defense Council to impose sanctions against Andriy Portnov. In the event of a refusal, we ask that he provide the public with a reasoned explanation of the reasons for this decision.  

The Media Movement also appeals to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine and the High Council of Justice to ensure transparency and objectivity in the consideration of cases involving public figures such as Andriy Portnov. We ask that the judicial decisions in these cases be reviewed for compliance with the standards of justice and judicial ethics. Any possible impact on the judicial system, abuse or violation of justice standards should be investigated, assessed and immediately stopped.

It is worth noting that in 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on Andriy Portnov, based on his involvement in corrupt practices aimed at controlling the Ukrainian judiciary. A statement from the US Treasury Department noted that Portnov influenced judicial legislation, facilitated the appointment of loyal officials to high positions in the judiciary, and used bribery to achieve his goals.

From 2010 to 2014, Andriy Portnov held key positions in the Administration of President Viktor Yanukovych, including the adoption of the so-called “January 16 laws” that violated citizens' rights, restricted freedoms, and recognized civil society as “extremists” and “foreign agents.”

For information, Media Movement is a community that was launched on February 5, 2019 and brings together journalists from leading Ukrainian media, investigative journalists, and experts from media NGOs. 

The first signatories of the Media Movement memorandum were UA: Pershyi, Ukrainian Radio, Hromadske Radio, Ukrinform Information Agency, Interfax-Ukraine, Liga.net, Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. Ukraine, NV, Censor.net, Channel 5, The Ukrainian Week, Opinion, a number of regional media, NGOs Independent Media Council, Detector Media, Institute of Mass Information, Internews Ukraine, Center for Democracy and Rule of Law, Souspilnist Foundation, National Association of Media, Donetsk Institute of Information, Pylyp Orlyk Institute for Democracy, Zmina Human Rights Center. Later, other organizations and individual journalists joined the initiative, bringing the total number of participants to over 70. 

On November 16, 2021, representatives of leading media outlets called on journalists to unite in the professional community Media Movement to counter political and commercial pressure on freedom of speech. The statement was initiated by 29 journalists and experts; their names are available here.