Zelensky imposed 5 years sanctions against the people’s deputy Kozak and blocked 112 Ukraine, ZIK, NewsOne TV channels

Zelensky imposed 5 years sanctions against the people’s deputy Kozak and blocked 112 Ukraine, ZIK, NewsOne TV channels According to some media Kozak is a close ally of Medvedchuk
Photo: zik.ua
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky implemented NSDC decision on sanctions against OPFL deputy Taras Kozak and 112 Ukraine, ZIK, NewsOne Tv channels Kozak owns. They are ordered to stop broadcasting. 

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky put in place today’s NSDC decision ‘On personal special economical and other restrictive measures (sanctions)’ concerning Taras Kozak, people’s deputy of Opposition Platform – For Life. The decree was published on presidential web site.

The sanctions include 5 years of blocking assets, restrictions on trading operations, limitation, partial or full cessation of resources transit, flights and carriages on territory of Ukraine; prevention of capital outflow from Ukraine; suspension of fulfilment of economic and financial obligations; cancelation or suspension of licenses and other permissions; partial or full prohibition on securities deals; cessation of issuing permissions and licenses to move currency through the border of Ukraine; ban on transfer of intellectual property rights.

Screenshot: president.gov.ua Screenshot: president.gov.ua

In addition, the sanctions for five years period of time were imposed against following legal entities: regional broadcsters for “112 Ukraine” – “New Format”, “Ariadna TV”, “TV Choice”, “Partner TV”, “Leader TV”, and TV and radio company “New communications” (broadcasting under trademark ZIK) and “News 24 hours” (TV channel NewsOne).

NSDC decision commands them among other things to cease all activities related to retranslation of TV programs, telecommunication services, and use of public telecommunication networks. All assets of those legal entities are also frozen. 

Infographic: LIGA.net Infographic: LIGA.net

NSDC suggests that Cabinet of Ministers, Security Service of Ukraine and National bank of Ukraine should secure implementation and sanctions efficiency monitoring while Ministry of Foreign Affairs should inform EU, USA and other states officials and request similar restrictive measures on their part.

During NSDC meeting 17 of 19 members voted for the sanctions, reported Secretary of the Council Oleksiy Danilov, with one abstention and one member absent on assignment. The decree takes its force since the day of its publication.

As of this moment, TV channels stopped broadcasting and now demonstrate black screen or set-up tablet. However, they still broadcast in YouTube.

According to the law of Ukraine “On sanctions” sanctions could be applied against foreign state, foreign legal entity, legal entity controlled by foreign legal entity or citizen, persons without citizenship or subjects involved in terrorist activities.

Context

Kozak owns the sanctioned TV channels. He acquired NewsOne and 112 Ukraine in late 2018, and ZIK – in the summer of 2019. Rada created a commission to investigate the change of ownership of these channels.

According to Nashi Groshi edition Kozak is a part of the closest entourage of Viktor Medvedchuk, head of political council at “Opposition Platform – For Life”, member of parliament, whose daughter’s godfather is Russian President Vladimir Putin. State Committee for Television and Radio-Broadcasting of Ukraine announced that it could not prove connection between mentioned medias and Medvedchuk.

In 2019, Zelensky commented ownership of Ukrainian TV channels making a remark that Kozak and Medvedchuk are “the same story”.

In 2019, Kozak was interviewed on a case of financing of terrorism in connection with announced NewsOne joint TV talk show with Russia 1 TV station.