Panorāma

Strauji pieaug inficēšanās ar omikrona paveidu

Panorāma

Otrajā lasījumā atbalsta atlīdzinājumu ebreju kopienai

Seksuālā aizskaršanā vainotais imunologs vēršas pret žurnālisti

Doctor at center of abuse allegations complains to police about journalist

Take note – story published 2 years ago

Immunologist Jevgenijs Nikiforenko, who is at the center of allegations of subjecting patients to inappropriate sexual behavior, has approached the police to take action against Olga Dragileva, one of the country's most respected investgative journalists, for her report about him on LTV's investigative news show "De facto". 

The immunologist has accused Dragileva of physical and emotional abuse. Both the journalist and her cameraman point out that video footage proves that the journalist did not even have the opportunity to touch and harm the doctor let alone pull him by the arm as he alleges. The medic also said that the stress of the situation in which he finds himself accused of repeated misconduct against patients has caused him to have headaches. 

The State Police has initiated administrative proceedings at the request of the immunologist, as they are obliged to in such cases, regardless of the initial merits or otherwise of the claim.

Both the journalist Olga Dragiļeva and her cameraman Ainis Kupčs showed up at a State Police station January 6, to deliver the evidence of their filming with Nikiforenko. At the end of December, the immunologist contacted the state police, accusing Dragileva of emotional and physical abuse.

Dragileva described the allegation against her as "a blatant lie". You can see her original report below.

Sanita Jemberga, who, together with colleagues at the Re: Baltica investigative journalism center and Latvian Radio, has also been investigating the claims against Nikiforenko, calls this situation absurd. On one side there is a doctor, who is now being accused by about 20 patients of harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior. On the other hand, journalists trying to find out why the case has not been adequately investigated are themselves being investigated by the police. 

It was only after journalists broke the story centering on Nikiforenko that the Prosecutor General undertook to look again at case materials .

"I understand that the police cannot fail to respond to such a request, but I think it is just as important to remember that there is a penalty for providing false information," said Jemberga.

Several women have accused Nikiforenko of inappropriate behavior, but police dropped the case and the prosecutor's office chose not to pursue the women's complaints. However, after the story was published in the media, several other patients of the doctor came forward with similar allegations.

The Health Inspectorate, however, has destroyed documents from Nikiforenko's inspection case, which was carried out 12 years ago, according to "De facto".

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