Chief Editor of Internet publication is forced to seek political asylum?

At the TV programme Shuster.Live, the chief editor of the "Left Coast" (“Levy Bereg”) stated that in case of further harassment she will seek political asylum in Europe.

We remind that recently a member of the Party of Regions, Vladimir Landik, demanded to commence a criminal case under the Article 163 of the Criminal Code (violation of the secrecy of correspondence, committed against the state or public figures), which provides a sentence of imprisonment from three to seven years.

Sonia Koshkina said that officials of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers are involved in the harassment.

 The website "Left Bank" with a monthly number of readers of 2.3 million regularly publishes materials about the political situation in Ukraine, the government and the opposition.

Sonia Koshkina communicated with the studio through Skype, since now she is in Europe and is not going to come back to Ukraine before the end of the investigation.

 Meanwhile, the prosecutor’s office states that there have been no criminal cases against journalists following the statement by Vladimir Landik.

We remind that the reason for the scandal was the fact that on November 18, 2011, on the day of adoption of the electoral law by the Parliament, a journalist of LB.ua photographed the People’s Deputy Vladimir Landik in the session hall of the parliament corresponding with SMS concerning the fate of his son, who at that time was on trial with the charges of beating a girl.

From the materials of online publications