journalists’ rights violations

JOURNALISTS’ RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

April-May 2014 Report

NGO Telekritika

April and May 2014 continue the range of the most unsuccessful months for the journalists in Ukraine. It has become even more dangerous to work as a journalist, but only in the particular regions of Ukraine. First of all, these are Donetsk and Luhansk regions as well as Odesa and the Crimean Peninsula. NGO Telekritika has fixed 59 cases of pressure on journalists. 43 of them are physical interference with the journalist work. 24 cases are fixed in the Donetsk region. It is for the first time in the Ukrainian history when journalists are kidnapped and tortured in such numbers. The crimes are mainly committed by the representatives of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic. Besides, the map of Ukraine has been marked by several points where the Ukrainian journalists should not go because it is mortally dangerous. It particular, this is Sloviansk, the base of the terrorists.

Journalists’ Rights Violations. Report for April-May 2014

Telekritika has fixed 43 cases of journalists’ rights violations in April 2014. 29 of them were physical pressure, including kidnapping and torturing of journalists. The second is political pressure making up 10 cases, mainly concerning the ban for Russian journalists to enter Ukraine and the deportation of Russian journalists from Ukraine.

physical pressure on journalists

29

economical pressure on

media

labor rights violations

editorial policies violation

political influence (or pressure)

blocking the access to information

0 0 0 4 10

Journalists’ Rights Violations in April 2014


The most active region concerning journalists’ rights violation is Donetsk and the cities of Donetsk region: Sloviansk and Gorlivka where the separatists lead anti-Ukrainian activity under support of the Russian troops. 19 messages dealt with the events in Donetsk region.


April 27, the seizure of the Donetsk Regional State Television and Radio Company and Donetsk branch of the RRT Concern by the separatists supporting the ideas of the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic. On April 28, the separatists turned off all the Ukrainian channels in Donetsk and substituted some of them with the Russian channels. Almost the same scenario took place in the TV centers of the Crimea. Firstly, the TV center was seized by the people in camouflage; then, they brought technicians who turned off the Ukrainian channels and turned on the Russian channels instead of them.

The most shaking events in April were:


During April, the Ukrainian and foreign journalists were constantly disappearing in the Donetsk region. 18 journalists have been kidnapped by the separatists in April (by April 26). Almost all the journalists who went through kidnapping tell about tortures with the demands to confess the participation in espionage for the UNA-UNSO for shooting the comments for the propagating materials of the Russian channels.

During April, there were two meetings of the Committee on Freedom of Expression and Information. The protection of journalists’ rights was also reflected. The representatives of Telekritika also took part in the meetings (infromatin is available here http://www.telekritika.ua/kontent/2014-04-07/92385).


http://www.telekritika.ua/kontent/2014-04-07/92385

During this time, Telekritika has published 20 news concerning the journalists’ rights violation in Ukraine. Physical pressure is still on the first place. Attacks, firing of homes, kidnapping, threats are in the list. 14 pieces of news were published by Telekritika during the reporting period. Three materials were on political pressure and three materials were on the interference with the access to the public information. Political pressure still was in the ban for Russian journalists to enter Ukraine and the deportation of Russian journalists from Ukraine.

physical pressure on journalists

14

economical pressure on

media

labor rights violations

editorial policies violation

political influence (or pressure)

blocking the access to information

0 0 0 3 3

Journalists’ Rights Violations from May 1 to May 21



The hottest regions are still Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the Crimea and Odesa became even more noticeable in May.


ODESA (physical pressure):

On May 2, 48 people have died as a result of the collisions between the followers of the Euro-Maidan and the followers of the Anti-Maidan movement. Oleg Konstantinov, the journalist for the periodical “Dumskaya.Net” was injured. Apart from Oleg Konstantinov, at least three more journalists have suffered during the collisions on May 2 in Odesa. On May 4, Natalka Tarasovska, the correspondent for the 5th Channel, was persecuted during the live connection from Odesa. On the same day, Petro Rakul, the journalist of the Web-periodical “Information Center” was injured by the militia representative during the meeting at the investigatory isolation ward.

The most shaking events in May were:

http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/05/3/7024232/


CRIMEA (interference with the access to public information and physical pressure):

Self-declared power of the Crimea has prohibited the Meijlis of the Crimean Tatar People to hold the annual mourning meeting devoted to the victims of the Stalin’s deportation on May 18. It was announced that on that day the central streets of the Simferopol will be blocked from 6 am to 6 pm, while the traffic on them will be allowed only for the special transport.

On May 15, several journalists were persecuted in the center of Simferopol by the Crimean self-defense representatives: the latter took away or damaged the technical appliances of the journalists of “Krymsky Telegraf”.

On May 18, the founder of the Web-channel CrimeanOpenCh Osman Pashayev and the Turkish cameraman were arrested. The journalists were shooting the 70th anniversary of the Crimean Tatars deportation. On the same day, Russian special police squad arrested the journalists of Russian project “Reality.com” Artur Moryakov.


DONETSK (interference with the access to public information and physical pressure):

On May 11, there was a referendum concerning the independence of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic conducted by terrorists, and the journalists were not allowed to take photos or shoot video. However, the representatives of Russian television and the followers of Donetsk People’s Republis were allowed to shoot.

On May 12, the journalist of the Russian opposition periodical “Novaya Gazeta” Pavlo Kanygin informed the colleagues with an sms at 4 am that he was kidnapped in the Donetsk region. In the Donetsk region, the journalist was reflecting the voting at the pseudo referendum, and in Artemivsk he was seized.


Telekritika has turned to the experts from Donetsk and Luhansk regions for the comments to understand to what extent the work of journalists is dangerous at the moment in these regions and in what way the media specialists from these regions can be supported.

The experts are Oleksiy Matsuka, the chief editor of the Donetsk Web-periodical “Novosti Donbassa” (The News of Donbas) and Social Television of Donetsk region, and Sergiy Sakadynsky, the chief editor of the Luhansk Web-periodical “Politika 2.0” (Politics 2.0). Both of them have suffered from the actions of separatists. In particular, on the night of April 12 unidentified assailants in Donetsk have burned down the car of Oleksiy Matsuka. After that, the journalist had to leave his home city. On May 13 the Web-site managed by Sergiy Sakadynsky was attacked by hackers. The day before, there was an attempt to gain access to the data base of the site and destroy the archive of publications.


- In April, Donetsk region has become the record-holder for journalists’ rights violations. Twenty-four cases of pressure on journalists have been fixed by Telekritika for the last two months. These are, for example, kidnapping and torturing of journalists. In particular, you had to leave Donetsk because your car was burned down and you received a number of threats. Tell us please, where you would NOT advise to go to work as a journalist in the Donetsk region. - The hottest spots are Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Donetsk. You must be careful anywhere, at the roadblocks and not only. Even if the journalist sees a militiaman, it won’t mean that it is really a militiaman. It can be a terrorist who has stolen militia uniform. - Do the representatives of power or law enforcement bodies consult the journalists of how to work in the zone of military actions: - No, they don’t.

Oleksiy Matsukathe chief editor of the Donetsk Web-periodical “Novosti Donbassa” (The News of Donbas) and Social Television of Donetsk region


- Were there any criminal proceedings begun because of the interference with the journalist work? - No, there weren’t any. - Was a criminal proceeding begun because of your burnt car? How are the law enforcement officers working in this direction? - The proceeding was begun, but the investigator hasn’t called me yet and hasn’t asked for evidence. - Is there any political pressure on the local journalists, maybe before the elections? Are you aware of such cases? - There are constant threats from the terrorists. - Can you forecast, to what extent the work of journalists will be safe on the day of elections in the Donetsk region? - It is unsafe by100%, especially for the local journalists. - Why, in your opinion, are there so many aggrieved journalists? - Because there were never any hot spots in Ukraine, because the followers of Russian idea are inadequate; they are unable to dialog.


- Are the journalists of Donbas joint?

- The unity is growing. After each critical case, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine makes a statement, while journalists discuss the situation in closed groups. But nobody acts. Nothing except words is produced.

- What assistance do the journalists need now?

- First of all, we need the support from the center to be demonstrated. It can be expressed in the actions of journalists’ unity of national media with local media. It can be expressed in the assistance for the journalists’ families. It can be expressed in a proposition to take the children of the journalists from the Donetsk region to the families of the Kyiv journalists. It can be financial and tangible support, because many journalists have lost technical appliances in the collisions and have been injured in the fights.


- To what extent is Luhansk region dangerous for the work of journalists at the moment? Can the media representatives work everywhere now? - At the moment, the journalists are divided into two groups. The first are those who can work openly and can visit public events. The second are those who’d better not leave homes at all.The first group unites the journalists of Russian media and the journalists of the media loyal to the separatists. However, when there is a collision, there is no guarantee for security even for the journalists who have a document of accreditation from the separatists’ staff. The journalists without accreditation do not visit the actions where conflict situations can take place at all. It is safe to visit only the briefings of local council and neutral nonpolitical events.

Sergiy Sakadynskythe chief editor of the Luhansk Web-periodical “Politika 2.0” (Politics 2.0)


- Telekritika has fixed several cases of pressure on journalists, for example, the cameraman from one of the local channels was beaten during the action; the IRTA channel was attacked and its owner Volodymyr Landik was threatened with his house to be burnt. Are you aware of any more facts of political or physical pressure on journalists in the anticipation of the elections? - In fact, all of us have written about it in the report on the violations against journalists’ rights, with one or two cases added now. Overall, there is no pressure, but it is impossible for a journalist to work in such conditions at all. If you have accreditation, you can risk and visit the actions of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic. If you have no accreditation, you’d better not go to the city at all. Or, if you do go somewhere, you’d better not tell that you are a journalist; you just take photos or shoot for your personal account in a social network. - Were any criminal proceeding begun by the 171st article, journalists’ rights violation? - From the beginning of the year, 16 criminal proceedings on the interference with the journalist activity have been initiated. But there is nobody to deal with them. - As an ATO is performed at the territory of Luhansk region, do the law enforcement officers give any instructions for journalists concerning their work in the combat zone? - We have no law enforcement officers; militia has deserted; the administration of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs is closed (it has officially moved to Starobilsk); the prosecutor’s office doesn’t work. Thus, there can be no instructions.


- Please, forecast to what extent the work of journalists will be safe on May 25 during the elections at the polling stations in Luhansk region, taking to account the separatists’ actions and ATO?

- The majority of the journalists do not plan to go to the field on May 25. The government of Luhansk People’s Republic has prohibited the elections, and threatens to immediately arrest those who will try to take part in them. In fact, there will be no elections. Only 2 out of 12 polling stations in the region are controlled by the Central Polling Committee. It is likely that the bulletins will not reach Luhansk region at all.

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