KIEV (Sputnik) — In June, Guzhva was arrested over allegations of blackmailing Dmitry Linko, a member of the country’s Radical Party, for not disclosing materials that would compromise the party. Earlier in July, a Ukrainian court ruled to keep Guzhva in custody for 60 days and on bail of 544,000 Ukrainian hryvnias ($20,874). Guzhva denied the charges and was later released after the bail was paid.
"A police raid without the court’s search warrant, threats to the outlet, detention of Igor Guzhva as well as ongoing intimidation and opening of criminal cases in order to silence independent media pose a serious threat to freedom of speech," Belanger was quoted as saying by Strana.ua.
On July 3, the journalists of Strana.ua called on the G7 states' ambassadors and the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine to help protect the persecuted website from country's authorities.
