Definition of status of journalist causes problems when probing into crimes against journalists

Investigating crimes against the media professionals needs clear definition of a status of journalist as a professional. This was reported on November 14 by Director of the Department of Communications at the Ministry of Internal Affairs Artem Shevchenko after the first sitting of the Board on Freedom of Speech and Protection of Journalists under the President of Ukraine, as to the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“One of the key problems as to investigating such a category of cases is the clear definition of a journalist as a person who lawfully, professionally and systematically fulfil activities related to the collecting, receiving, creating, disseminating, storing or other use of information for the purpose of disseminating it to an indeterminate number of persons. through printed mass media, broadcasters, news agencies, the Internet, ” he said.

He added that the recommendations issued at the parliamentary hearings for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police, in which the ephemeral wording “other persons related to exercise of their right to freedom of speech” or some unknown “mass media involved persons” do not contribute to an accurate qualification of the crime and its efficacious investigation.

As IMI reported, on November 14, at the first sitting the Board on Freedom of Speech and Protection of Journalists affiliated to the President of Ukraine heard report from the law enforcement agencies about investigations into threats to journalists of Radio Svoboda and the disclosure of their personal data.

Photo credit: the Ministry of the Interior