Draft bill to allow journalists free movement during curfew ingroduced in the Verkhovna Rada

Illustration by IMI

On June 5, the Verkhovna Rada registered the draft bill No. 11321 on stepping up certain information access guarantees for media, journalists and citizens.

This was announced on June 6 by one of the bill's authors, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech.

The deputy reported that the draft bill provides:

• allowing journalists to move freely during curfew hours while carrying out their professional tasks. This will be possible for people accredited by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and carrying the relevant documents.

"Such a bill will make the work of correspondents covering the events on the battlefield easier. It will also help journalists whose job involves working at night to quickly deliver information or carry out investigations," Yurchyshyn said.

• the draft bill provides new guarantees to freelance media workers: fixers (local producers) working under a civil law contract.

"After all, the current guarantees do not cover such workers. This makes it much easier for unscrupulous persons to persecute freelancers," he said.

• the draft bill exempts online media from liability for other users' comments, blog posts and other content not created by their employees if it is removed within three days of receiving a court order.

"This can happen not only after a complaint or decision by the National Council on Television, but also if a court has opened proceedings in the case. To the influx of Russian bots has made it more difficult to quickly track all comments. Such a proposal will significantly reduce the time and money of the mass media must spend on litigation," Yurchyshyn said.

He added that this is only "a part of the useful provisions that we laid down in the draft bill. And only a small part of what needs to be implemented to improve the working conditions of the media."

On March 6, 2024 the Institute of Mass Information called on military-civilian administrations to allow journalists with UAF accreditation free movement through rear cities during curfew.

Multiple journalists have told IMI that they were barred from entering rear cities on their way back from business trips during curfew hours. According to the media workers, they have been asked for additional documents on top of UAF credentials while passing checkpoints. Every city, they say, has its own pass system.

In May 2024 the International Insurance Fund for Journalists (IIFJ) opened applications from Ukrainian journalists, fixers, photo/video camerapeople performing editorial tasks in combat zones.

The insurance covers up to $100,000 for medical expenses in the event of an injury. In case of the journalist's death, their family receives $100,000.

The International Insurance Fund for Journalists is an initiative of six NGOs: AIRPU, "Souspilnist" Foundation, IMI, "Detector Media", CEDEM, RPDI.