Freedom of media should remain priority for authorities in Ukraine, Mijatović says during visit to Kyiv

KYIV, 19 March 2015 – Ending her four-day visit to Kyiv, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said that the current crisis in and around Ukraine continues to negatively influence free media and journalists’ safety in the country.  

“The troubling developments with freedom of the media and safety of journalists as a whole continue in different parts of Ukraine, particularly in eastern Ukraine and Crimea,” Mijatović said.

During her visit, the Representative met with senior governmental officials, including Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, Minister of Information Policy Yuriy Stets and the Head of Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Policy Viktoria Siumar. Mijatović also met with the Head of the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine Yuriy Artemenko and the Director General of the National Television Company Zurab Alasania.

In her discussions with the authorities, Mijatović again raised the need to put an end to impunity for attacks on journalists and to be cautious when introducing changes to media legislation. She also stressed the importance of a well-functioning public service broadcaster and full transparency of authorities’ decisions that restrict foreign media, including accreditation requirements. 

While noting the need for Ukraine to safeguard its national security and counteract hostile propaganda from Russia, Mijatović reiterated her call on the authorities to observe international media freedom standards and OSCE commitments on media freedom, stressing the need for proportionality of any restrictions.

“Rule of law should remain the firm basis for all potentially restrictive measures”, Mijatović said.

The Representative also said that propaganda is best fought with the free flow of truthful information, and that the government should refrain from any counterproductive actions that could bring about actual censorship and could intensify tensions and mistrust.

“In this regard, the long-awaited transformation of the state media into a truly independent and objective public service broadcaster is a crucially important step,” Mijatović said.

She reiterated the readiness of her Office to assist the authorities with media reforms in line with OSCE media freedom commitments and best practices.

During her visit to Kyiv, Mijatović met with journalists and representatives of media associations from Crimea, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Luhansk, and Odesa to discuss all media freedom issues, especially journalists’ safety.

“Journalists in Crimea and conflict-affected areas in eastern Ukraine continue to face threats, intimidation and censorship, especially when reporting on the de facto status of those regions,” Mijatović said. “Practically no Ukrainian journalist can report in a free and safe manner from the areas under separatists’ control.”

The Representative also participated in an executive master class in broadcasting regulation, jointly organized by her Office and the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine, and met with journalism students at an OSCE Café event in Kyiv.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.