Ukrainian authorities persecute journalists, State Department report

U.S. Department of State. Photo: Pershyi Biznesovyi

The U.S. Department of State in its annual human rights report documented serious violations of press freedom in Ukraine, including the persecution of journalists by the authorities. The document notes the constitution and law provided for freedom of expression, including for the press and other media, but authorities did not always respect these rights.

The report states that "investigative journalists critical of the government were sometimes targeted by negative social media campaigns, sometimes via government-friendly channels". There were reports of government officials threatening to attack journalists, as well as reports of attacks on journalists who reported on corruption. Special attention in the document is given to the case of Gonzalo Lira – a Chilean-American filmmaker who was arrested and detained in 2023 on charges of "justifying Russia’s military actions in Ukrain". His health deteriorated in detention, and on January 12, he died from an illness that "could have resulted from neglect or improper treatment".

The State Department recorded instances of threats to journalists from security services. "Some journalists reported being threatened by security officials with military conscription in retaliation for reporting critical of the administration," the report says. It also notes that some outlets reported security services placed their employees under surveillance.

The government banned, blocked, or imposed sanctions against media and individual journalists deemed a threat to national security or expressing positions that, in the authorities' opinion, undermined the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Some critics of the government were also blacklisted from government news programs.

"There were instances in which the government practiced censorship,
restricted content, and penalized individuals and media outlets for
reportedly criticizing measures taken by authorities or expressing pro-Russia
views, through imposing financial sanctions, banning websites, and blocking
television channels," the State Department states.

Media professionals asserted they were denied access to government proceedings by state officials following reporting on sensitive matters. There were allegations authorities threatened to prosecute journalists in retaliation for their work.

As reported, on March 12, 2024, the SBU arrested three employees of the Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ) on absurd charges of treason. One of them was held in custody for 7 months, and two for 8 months. Additionally, the authorities, at the request of the SBU, blocked the UOJ website in Ukraine five times, as well as – UOJ in Bulgaria, and UOJ in America.

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