Ukraine: Journalism under attack

Freedom House and the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) have partnered to support the media and freedom of expression during the electoral period in Ukraine. Under the Ukraine Media Watch project ("Мережа медіа-спостерігачів"), Freedom House and the IMI have monitored freedom of the press and speech with a special focus on the impact of developments on the electoral environment.

According to the results of the research conducted between 11 and 17 October, 4 cases were registered in the category “Physical aggression”, 6 cases of “Internet pressure” and one case each of “Indirect pressure”, “Censorship, access to information”, “Protection of freedom of speech”. 

Some journalists were attacked in different regions of Ukraine while working; in Luhansk oblast, a group of armed men tried to seize the TV and radio company “Akcent” by using violence; a large number of websites were blocked by cyber-activists in the occupied territory of Donetsk; also, the City Sites network suffered cyber attacks in different regions of Ukraine.

According to the latest OSCE report “Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information” as of 24 October, 2014, in some regions, such as Donetsk, the overall security situation was tense.

Photo: Freedom House and Institute of Mass Information