Watchdog

Six journalists from the "Ekspress" newspaper chained themselves to a Budapest-to-Moscow train today in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv to protest restrictions on the independent media, RFE/RL Ukrainian Service reports.

The protest was carried out under the motto "Where are we going?"

More than 50 journalists in total took part in the action at the Lviv train station.

The journalists told RFE/RL they intentionally chained themselves to the train that goes from Europe -- where press freedom exists -- to Russia, where they said it is limited. They added that Ukraine is at a crossroads between Russia and the West.

"Ekspress" editor in chief Ihor Pochynok said that since Viktor Yanukovych became president earlier this year, the situation regarding independent media outlets has significantly worsened.

He said freedom of speech exists only "on paper" and that journalists in Yanukovych's Ukraine do not feel safe.

The protesters demanded the Prosecutor-General's Office open a case according to Article 171 of Ukraine's Criminal Code on "obstruction of journalistic activity."

In March, a case was filed against the Ekspress publishing group that alleged it had failed to pay 2.6 million hryvnia (about $328,000) in taxes. The publisher said the additional demand is illegal and the charges were "fabricated."

In April, several "Ekspress" journalists were beaten by police.

Today's protest was the third action in recent months. "Ekspress" journalists said they are prepared to take more determined steps if authorities do not react to their demands.

Armenian police are facing more torture allegations stemming from a criminal investigation that led to a suspicious death in police custody, RFE/RL's Armenian Service reports.

Relatives of David Gyulumian of Charentsavan, a small town about 40 kilometers north of Yerevan, say that he, too, was ill-treated by police officers and forced to confess to a theft committed there early last month.

Gyulumian, Vahan Khalafian, and two other men were arrested on April 13 on suspicion of involvement in the crime.

Khalafian, 24, died in still unclear circumstances several hours later. The Armenian police acknowledged on April 30 that he was beaten up before allegedly committing suicide.

Gyulumian's mother, Armik Gharibian, told RFE/RL that the 35-year-old claimed to have been forced to admit his guilt under duress when she visited him in Yerevan's Nubarashen prison several days after the arrest.

According to his aunt, Alvard Gyulumian, he said: "I could either die like Vahan or sign it; there was no other option."

Both women deny Gyulumian's involvement in the crime. They also allege that local police had for years forced him to operate as a police informant through threats and blackmail.

Law-enforcement authorities denied the torture claims.

Armenia's Special Investigative Service (SIS), which is conducting an inquiry into Khalafian's death, told RFE/RL that Gyulumian assured SIS investigators in late April that "nobody subjected him to torture."

The law-enforcement body also provided a copy of the results of a medical examination of Gyulumian conducted by forensic experts shortly after Khalafian's death. The document says that they found "no objective signs of bodily injuries."