"Stigmatization based on faith": DESS reprimands TSN for story about Muslims

DESS head, Viktor Yelensky. Photo: DESS's Facebook

The State Ethnopolitics Service (DESS) responded to Muslims' complaint regarding the TSN story "Are dangerous religious extremists already in Ukraine?", in which journalists discovered connections between Ukraine's Islamic community and the aggressor country. DESS criticized the video, stating that "it is very important to distinguish proven facts from assumptions and associative connections."

Officials pointed out that "inaccurate or emotionally charged formulations can have consequences that extend far beyond a specific story." DESS attributed the following consequences regarding Muslims to such formulations:

• formation of distrust toward religious communities;
• stigmatization of Ukrainian citizens based on their faith;
• increased internal tension that works in favor of the enemy.

The State Ethnopolitics Service assured that Ukrainian Muslims "are part of the Ukrainian political nation." "These are military personnel, volunteers, doctors, entrepreneurs, scientists, public figures. They also defend the state, suffer from Russian missiles, and work for victory," the statement said. DESS demanded that TSN observe "journalistic standards and ethics," since "the investigation in the '1+1' story immediately took on an accusatory bias, while the accused themselves were not given a voice."

"In wartime, responsibility for what is said increases manifold. Unity, respect for human dignity, and adherence to the principle of rule of law are not abstractions, but the foundation of our resilience," the officials stated.

Why DESS did not make similar statements in defense of the UOC was not clarified there.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Ukrainian Muslims complained about TSN to the ombudsman and to DESS.

Read also