Georgiy R. Gongadze (in UkrainianHeorhiy Ruslanovych Honhadze) (May 21, 1969 – 2000) was a Ukrainian journalist kidnapped and murdered in 2000. His disappearance became Ukraine's top political crime after politician Oleksandr Moroz publicized secret tape recordings, supposedly made by Major Mykola Mel'nychenko. Those recordings contain the supposed voice of PresidentLeonid Kuchma ordering Gongadze's kidnapping by police officers. This scandal (called "Cassette Scandal" or "Tapegate") has had a tremendous long-term impact on Ukraine's politics and international relations (see also Politics of Ukraine).
Later Gongadze's body was found beheaded in a forest near Ukraine's capital Kyiv, but relatives continuously refused to recognize the body as that of Gongadze. The body was buried following lasting forensic and legal disputes.
His wife, Myroslava, and their two children received political asylum in the United States and have lived there since.
Gongadze was a founder and leader of Ukrayinska Pravda (Ukrainian Truth), Ukraine's most influential political Web site. His lifestory also includes participation in war in native Georgia and later a successful journalism career in various Ukrainian media (i.e., television news).
September 16, 2000 (the last day when Gongadze was seen alive) is commonly recognized as his commemoration date, although there is no judicialverdict regarding the circumstances of the death.
Name spelling disambiguation
Note that the pronunciation and sometimes spelling of Gongadze's name may differ following the phonetics of different languages. The proper Georgian name Georgi Gongadze became Георгий Гонгадзе in Russian and Георгiй Гонгадзе in Ukrainian. While Г is pronounced as G in Russian, its pronunciation in Ukrainian has no close match in English and is transliterated as H. This is why Gongadze (born in Ukraine and excellent Ukrainian speaker) was often mentioned as Heorhiy Honhadze in Ukrainian. It is probable that his official passport name was also spelled so. Some sources also refer to him as Georgy Gongadze.
External links
In English:
BBC News reports on the latest developments in the investigation of Gongadze's death (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3827859.stm)
the BBC's extensive investigation of Gongadze's case (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/correspondent/1932609.stm)
Ukrayins'ka Pravda's Web-page dedicated to Gongadze and his case (http://www2.pravda.com.ua/archive/?00925-4-old)
Collection of photocopied documents supposedly leaked from the criminal investigation of Gongadze's murder (http://delogongadze.org)
Georgiy Ruslanovich Gongadze (in Ukrainian Георгій Русланович Ґонґадзе, Heorhiy Ruslanovych Gongadze) (May 21, 1969 – September 2000?) was a Ukrainian journalist kidnapped and murdered in 2000.
Gongadze's killers have yet to be publicly identified or put on trial, although two men accused of his murder were arrested in March 2005.
Born in Tblisi, Georgia, Gongadze was the son of a Georgian politician and a Ukrainian nurse.
Georgiy R. Gongadze (in Ukrainian Heorhiy Ruslanovych Honhadze) (May 21, 1969 –; 2000) was a Ukrainian journalist kidnapped and murdered in 2000.
Later Gongadze's body was found beheaded in a forest near Ukraine's capital Kyiv, but relatives continuously refused to recognize the body as that of Gongadze.
September 16, 2000 (the last day when Gongadze was seen alive) is commonly recognized as his commemoration date, although there is no judicialverdict regarding the circumstances of the death.
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