Georgiy Gongadze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Georgiy Gongadze
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| Born | 21 May 1969 Tbilisi, Georgian SSR, Soviet Union
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| Disappeared | 16 September 2000 Kyiv, Ukraine |
| Died | 17 September 2000 (aged 31) Tarashcha Woods, Tarashcha Raion, Ukraine
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| Body discovered | 3 November 2000 |
| Burial place | St. Nicholas the Embankment Church, Kyiv |
| Other names | Giya |
| Citizenship | Ukraine |
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| Occupation | Political activist, journalist |
| Years active | 1989–2000 |
| Known for | Founder of Ukrainska Pravda |
| Spouse(s) |
Mariana Stetsko
(m. 1990; div. 1992)Myroslava Gongadze
(m. 1996–2000) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Parents |
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| Family | 1 stepbrother |
| Awards |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | |
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| Years of service |
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Georgiy Gongadze was a brave Georgian-Ukrainian journalist and film director. He was born on May 21, 1969, and sadly disappeared in 2000 near Kyiv, Ukraine. His body was found later that year.
Georgiy was important because he started an online newspaper called Ukrainska Pravda (meaning "Ukrainian Truth") in 2000. This website shared news and opinions, especially about the government and powerful people. He wanted to provide honest information when other news sources were not free to do so.
His disappearance and death caused a huge national scandal in Ukraine. Many people protested against the government at the time. There were even secret recordings that seemed to show high-ranking officials talking about silencing Georgiy because of his news reports. These events led to a big public outcry and calls for justice.
Contents
- Georgiy Gongadze: A Journalist's Story
- Filmography
- Images for kids
- See also
Georgiy Gongadze: A Journalist's Story
Early Life and Education
Georgiy Gongadze was born in Tbilisi, which was then part of the Soviet Union. His father, Ruslan, was a Georgian architect, and his mother, Olesya, was a Ukrainian dentist. They met and married in Ukraine before moving to Tbilisi.
Georgiy was a very good athlete in school. He was even part of the Soviet Olympic team for running races. He learned to speak Ukrainian, Russian, Georgian, and English. In 1986, he started studying English at a university in Tbilisi.
Joining the Military
In 1987, Georgiy joined the Soviet Border Troops and served near the border with Iran. His mother later shared that she had to pay money to prevent him from being sent to fight in the Soviet–Afghan War.
A Time of Change: The Soviet Union's End
Around this time, the Soviet Union was changing a lot. Its leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, started new policies called "perestroika" (rebuilding) and "glasnost" (openness). These changes led to the Soviet Union breaking apart.
Many conflicts happened as different regions wanted independence. Georgiy became very involved in Georgia's movement for freedom. He traveled to other countries, including Ukraine, to gather support for Georgia's independence.
First Marriage and New Home
In 1989, Georgiy met Mariana Stetsko at a music festival in Ukraine. They married in 1990 and settled in Lviv, Ukraine. Georgiy worked as an English and physical education teacher while also studying languages at the University of Lviv. In 1991, Ukraine declared its independence, and Georgiy became a citizen of Ukraine.
Fighting for Georgia's Future
In 1991, a civil war broke out in Georgia. Georgiy returned to Tbilisi to help. He led a team that helped move wounded people to hospitals. After the conflict, he went back to Lviv, but his first wife had left him.
A New Chapter in Ukraine
In 1992, Georgiy started a Georgian Culture Association in Lviv. Here, he met Myroslava Petryshyn, who would become his second wife. They wrote an article together about the Georgian Civil War.
Georgiy also started making films. He filmed a documentary about the Georgian Civil War called The Pain of My Land. It was shown on Ukrainian television in 1993.
Volunteering to Fight
Later in 1992, two regions in Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, declared independence. Georgiy wanted to fight for Georgia, but he was not allowed to join the official army. He then found a group of Ukrainian volunteers who were willing to help Georgia.
Return to Georgia and Injury
In 1993, Georgiy's father passed away in Kyiv. Georgiy went back to Tbilisi for the funeral. He then started filming a new documentary about the Ukrainian fighters in Abkhazia. He even sold his military rifle to get money for the film.
Caught in the Conflict
In September 1993, Georgiy went to Sukhumi, a city under attack in Abkhazia, to film the events. He was called to serve in the Georgian army. On September 17, he was fighting in a trench when an artillery shell exploded. He was hit by shrapnel in many places, but his helmet saved his life. Two soldiers next to him were killed.
Georgiy was taken to a hospital. He was very concerned about his video cassettes and asked someone to go back and get them. After two weeks, he returned to Lviv, Ukraine, to continue his recovery and finish his documentary, which was called Shadows of War.
Becoming a Journalist and Activist
From 1996 to 1997, Georgiy worked for a Ukrainian TV channel. He also had his own radio show. He was known for his independent views, which sometimes caused problems with the government.
Founding Ukrainska Pravda
In April 2000, Georgiy co-founded Ukrainska Pravda, an online news website. He created it because he felt there wasn't enough honest news in Ukraine. The website focused on politics, powerful business people, and the official media.
In June 2000, Georgiy wrote an open letter complaining about harassment from the secret police. He said they were following him and his family and spreading false rumors about him.
The Disappearance and Its Impact
Georgiy Gongadze disappeared on the night of September 16, 2000. He did not come home, and people immediately suspected something bad had happened. Many journalists wrote an open letter to the president, asking for an investigation. They pointed out that many crimes against journalists in Ukraine had not been solved.
The Discovery and Public Reaction
Two months later, on November 3, 2000, Georgiy's body was found. This discovery led to a major political scandal in Ukraine, known as the "Cassette Scandal." Secret recordings were made public, which seemed to show the president and other officials discussing ways to silence Georgiy. The president denied ordering any harm, saying the tapes were edited.
In November 2005, Georgiy's widow, Myroslava Gongadze, took Ukraine to the European Court of Human Rights. The court ruled that Ukraine had violated Georgiy's right to life and failed to properly investigate his death.
Seeking Justice: Arrests and Trials
In March 2005, some former police officers were arrested in connection with Georgiy's death. The prosecutor general announced that employees of the Interior Ministry were responsible. One former Interior Minister, Yuriy Kravchenko, who was mentioned in the secret recordings, was also under investigation. He was found dead shortly after.
Sentences for Those Involved
The trial for three former police officers began in January 2006. In March 2008, they were sentenced to prison for Georgiy's murder. Mykola Protasov received 13 years, and Valeriy Kostenko and Oleksandr Popovych each received 12 years. However, Georgiy's family felt that the people who ordered the murder had not yet been brought to justice.
Another main suspect, Oleksiy Pukach, a former police chief, was arrested in July 2009. He had been hiding and living under a different name.
Pukach's Trial and Sentence
Oleksiy Pukach's trial began in July 2011. It was not open to the public. During the trial, Pukach claimed that the former president, Leonid Kuchma, had ordered the murder.
On January 29, 2013, Pukach was sentenced to life imprisonment for Georgiy's murder. The court stated that Pukach had acted on orders from Yuriy Kravchenko, who was seeking a promotion.
Allegations Against Former President Kuchma
In March 2011, Ukrainian prosecutors made allegations against former President Leonid Kuchma, suggesting his involvement in the murder. However, a court later ordered these allegations to be dropped in December 2011, stating there was not enough evidence. Georgiy's widow appealed this decision.
In 2014, the prosecutor general stated that his office would look into the case again.
Georgiy Gongadze's Legacy
Georgiy Gongadze was buried in Kyiv in March 2016.
He was honored posthumously (after his death) with the title Hero of Ukraine in August 2005. This is the highest national award in Ukraine. His widow, Myroslava, received the "Star of the Hero" decoration in March 2014.
Several streets in Kyiv have been renamed in his honor. A monument to Georgiy and all journalists killed for their work was opened in Kyiv in August 2008. Georgiy's mother, however, believed the monument should wait until the investigation was fully completed.
His story has also inspired books, showing how important his work and courage were. Ceremonies are held in Kyiv and Lviv every year on September 16 to remember his disappearance.
Filmography
As film director
- 1992 – The Pain of my Land (Ukrainian: Біль моєї землі)
- 1993 – Shadows of War (Ukrainian: Тіні війни) by the Center of Georgian Culture
Images for kids
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A memorial plate in Kyiv listing journalists who were killed while reporting; Gongadze's name is second from bottom.
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Myroslava Gongadze, Georgiy's second wife and widow, has been an advocate for justice.
See also
- Freedom of the press in Ukraine
- List of solved missing person cases
- Orange Revolution
- Vasyl Klymentyev, journalist who disappeared in 2010
