The Commission on Journalistic Ethics expresses a strong protest against public authorities representatives attempting to influence journalists and restrict freedom of speech. This week, the independent online media outlet Ukrainska Pravda released a statement alleging systematic and long-term pressure on the outlet and individual journalists by the Office of the President.
According to the authors of the statement, evidence of this is that public officials are informally prohibited from communicating with the journalists of this outlet. The document also alleges pressure on potential advertisers to weaken the financial position of the media outlet. All this happens without any official orders, in a non-transparent and non-public manner.
The Commission on Journalistic Ethics expresses its support to colleagues from Ukrainska Pravda — an online outlet known for its high-profile investigations, including into the actions of current government representatives. We condemn any obstruction to the legitimate activities of newsrooms and journalists, the free exchange of opinions and the dissemination of socially important information.
Recently, the authorities have been trying to interfere in the basic principles of the independent media, justifying it by martial law, the needs of the frontline, the requirement to adhere to a unified information policy in the country during the war. However, restricting journalists’ equal access to information or attempts to influence the media financially will not help Ukraine defeat our enemy. Conversely, attempts to pressure journalists send a negative signal to Ukraine’s Western partners, making it more difficult to obtain military and financial aid.
With this Statement, the Commission on Journalistic Ethics publicly appeals to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a demand to intervene in the situation and take measures to stop the pressure on the work of journalists in Ukraine. The authorities must ensure equal access to information of all Ukrainian media workers, regardless of their editorial policy, if this policy does not contradict the laws and the Constitution of Ukraine.
Independent media are part of the democratic values that Ukrainians fight for today. During the full-scale war, it is critically important to maintain space for open discussion and public scrutiny of government actions. The ability of officials to accept criticism and conduct a constructive dialogue with society is a sign of a strong democracy. We call on all authorities to respect the principles of media freedom and refrain from any attempts to put pressure on journalists.