Chercassy, 27/01/2014
Source: http://procherk.info/news/7-cherkassy/20463-berkutivets-demonstrativno-zatoptav-moe-posvidchennja-i-pochav-biti–zhurnalist-intera

TV Inter journalist Stanislav Kuharchuk was brutally beaten by Berkut special police while trying to make carry out his professional duties during the storming of Euromaidan in Cherkassy. Kuharchuk is in good physical shape so he could defend his life. But blows to his head caused concussion.

Kuhurchak was rescued by his colleague – the operator TRK “Vikka” Sergei Efimov, for which he paid with his camera. Berkut broke his camera equipment.

– That night he did not sleep, preparing his story – says the correspondent Kuharchuk. – I shouted “press” showing my journalistic license, but they started hitting me. I am a trained boxer, so I knew how to cover myself. But still got hit with a truncheon on the head, but I know that at the time of arrest, law enforcement officers have no right to beat people on the head, only on the extremities. However, when they brought everyone down to the third hospital, everyone who was there suffered from head wounds.

Stanislav Kuharchuk 

According to the journalist, Berkut deliberately trampled his journalist card into the ground.

– And when they got tired of beating me, they kicked me in the face. Then the rest of the security forces began to beat me. Sergey saved me, for which he paid with his camera – says Stanislav. 

After the beating (in Stanislaus it was suspected he had fractured skull) , the journalists went to Sosnivskyi police station to file a complaint. However, it was not accepted.

– I said that no cameras are to be found in police department logs, to which the comrade major told me, “Goodbye …” – said the outraged journalist. 

The Chief Editor of ” Vikka news “TRK Vikka,” Victoria Kurchenko says that the damage from breaking the camera will be estimated by specialists.

– Sergei himself was not injured, but we have video proof that ” Berkut ” aggressively responds to journalists, with labels and threats we’re not allowed to shoot. Sergei wore a special vest with a big professional camera, it was clear that this was a journalist, that he is performing his professional duty. But one gets the impression that he was ordered to kill everyone, including journalists – says Victoria Kurchenko.

As reported by “Dash” in Cherkassy police office,  two Polish journalists were beaten.

Photos by Vyacheslav Romodan