Institute of Mass Information condemns the publication of UOC-KP priest’s "joke"

Publication of the controversial "joke" of Alexander Dediukhin, a UOC-KP priest from Poltava, who called the All-Ukrainian Cross Procession "Moscow vampires" and suggested that Poltava meet pilgrims with garlic, is an example of violation of journalistic standards, reports the Institute of Mass Information.

Such publications are "an example of non-compliance with basic journalistic standards. Of course, social networks play an important role and are an important tool in the media. Social networking can be a source of information for the media. But it should be questioned if a source is reliable. Using the information from social networks, a journalist always risks to violate disrupt or neglect professional standards," says the IMI.

Reporters of at least two editions of Poltava – Depo.Poltava and VPoltave.info – hurried to publish this information on their websites. Subsequently, the all-Ukrainian edition rbc.ua and other sites also placed the publication.

Recall a UOC-KP priest posted on his Facebook page a photo of a Poltava girl in a wreath of garlic and made a sign: "In such wreaths of garlic Poltava beauties are going to welcome the procession of Moscow vampires."

However, as it turned out, the post of the Poltava priest was not more than a joke. He wrote about this on his page in the social network. "Of course, I blame myself for not writing in capital letters JOKE! or not putting emoticons. Yes, we live in an amazing time of postmodern when everything is possible. When put glasses on the floor teenagers at an exhibition, and people believe it is an advanced installation. And yes, I am well aware that many take this banter seriously, but the aim was to fool around adequate people and to prank ghouls. So the parishioners, you can simply unsubscribe from my page, but in any case, and especially if you still continue to read here, do not be like journalists from the Depo edition and RBC-Ukraine – think," wrote the priest.

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