Ukrainian journalist Svitlana Kryukova has secured a victory in the appellate court regarding her lawsuit against the head of the parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn. According to the ruling of the Kyiv Court of Appeal, the Member of Parliament is required to issue an official public apology for statements previously disseminated against the journalist, which the court found to be untrue.
Background of the Conflict and Lawsuits
The legal standoff between Kryukova and Yurchyshyn began following harsh remarks made by the politician on social media in the wake of personal sanctions imposed against the journalist. The grounds for filing a lawsuit to protect honor, dignity, and business reputation were the MP's statements publicly labeling Kryukova as a "collaborator." In March, the court of first instance sided with the plaintiff, recognizing the disseminated information as unreliable and ordering the MP to retract it on his Facebook page, as well as reimburse court costs.
Details of the Appeal Ruling and Consequences
The appellate review confirmed the legitimacy of the journalist's initial demands. Now, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn must duly execute the court order and issue a public apology. Kryukova's legal team emphasizes that failure to comply with this decision will trigger serious criminal liability. The journalist herself noted that, alongside legal mechanisms, she is prepared to use other creative methods to draw public attention to the non-compliance with the verdict.
Broader Context of Legal Proceedings
It is worth noting that this ongoing lawsuit is not Svitlana Kryukova's only recent legal victory. Previously, she successfully won a similar case against well-known blogger Ihor Lachenkov, whom the court ordered to retract defamatory information and pay symbolic moral damages along with court fees. Alongside civil reputation lawsuits, Kryukova continues her large-scale legal battle in the Supreme Court of Ukraine, challenging the legality of personal NSDC sanctions imposed on her in 2025 for a ten-year term.
