Natalia Dmytruk

COMM UNIAN ARCHIVE An episode of TV forecast of the first Ukrainian National TV channel on November 25, 2004, with gesture-translation by Natalia Dmytruk (in the foreground). On July 18, 2005, Natalia Dmytruk was awarded with John Aubuchon Freedom of the Press Award 2005 in nomination “foreign journalists”. Her face and hands appear in a little box at the bottom of the screen as she sends out the news on the mid-morning and early afternoon telecasts to the hearing-impaired. During the tense days of Ukraine's presidential elections last year, Dmytruk staged a silent but bold protest, informing deaf Ukrainians that official results from the Nov. 21 runoff were fraudulent. Her act of courage further emboldened protests that grew until a new election was held and the opposition candidate, Viktor Yushchenko , was declared the winner. Photo is given by the first Ukrainian National TV channel / UNIAN / POOR QUALITY