Ukrainian translator in France sentenced for criticizing pro-Russian film on revolution in Ukraine
A Parisian court has ruled against the Ukrainian translator Anna Chesanovska for criticism directed against the infamous filmmaker Paul Moreira, producer of the film “Ukraine – The Masks of Revolution”. Chesanovska has to pay a fine and compensation which may amount to as much as 13,600 euros, Evropeyskaya Pravda reports.
At the start of 2016, the film “Ukraine – The Masks of Revolution” came out in France. Numerous viewers characterized the film as propagandist. It incited outrage not only in Ukraine. All French journalists who work in Ukraine or visit it regularly signed a letter expressing their outrage against the translation of the film and called it manipulative. There were also publications by French diplomats and public figures with criticism of Moreira.
At the same time, Le Liberation published the blog of Anna Chesanovska, whom Moreira employed to translate a small part of his materials. The Ukrainian spoke about the manipulation which took place, mentioning details of politicians’ quotes which were translated, but did not appear in the film. Chesanovska also mentioned manipulation in the film credits – she was noted as the sole translator, although in actual fact most of the film was translated by another, unnamed translator.
This blog was the cause behind a lawsuit by Moreira, who considered the Ukrainian’s accusations slander. Numerous accusations in other media were ignored by the filmmaker.
The Parisian court sided with the filmmaker, deciding that even the value judgments were harmful to him. The prosecutor, according to the testimony of other participants in the trial, supported these claims.
According to the court ruling, Anna Chesanovska must pay:
- 5000 euros of moral compensation to Moreira
- 3000 euros compensation for his legal defense expenses
- pay up to 5000 euros for the publication of a refutation in a newspaper of Mereira’s choosing
- pay the state a 500 euro fine for breaking the law
- compensate 127 euros for court expenses
This ruling was made on June 29. Anna Chesanovska’s defense has already appealed the ruling, considering it unsubstantiated.