German Federation of Journalists demands that Ukraine and the RF grant war reporters access to the front line
The German Federation of Journalists (DJV) calls on Russia and Ukraine to grant war reporters access to the front line, says the Federation's statement published on its website on April 18.
"This is the only way for the global public to get a clear and independent picture of what is happening in the war," the statement says.
The Federation states that their address was triggered by the new regulations by the Ukrainian military leadership (the accreditation rules amendments and the introduction of three access zones – Ed.), which "exclude accredited reporters from access to the front lines and restrict access to the front sections behind them."
The Federation also notes that on the Russian side, state-independent media have been barred from visiting combat zones and reporting from there since the beginning of the war.
The DJV chairman, Frank Überall, notes that only particularly experienced and competent war correspondents should be in the front areas.
"The effects of this terrible war on the whole world can be felt in all countries. Independent and unfiltered reports on what is happening at the front are indispensable for informing people and forming opinions," he believes.
Earlier, the IMI reported that the France 24 filming crew visited a training camp for the Russian occupation forces, which are fighting in an aggressive war against Ukraine. In the report, the journalist called Ukraine's counteroffensive "the enemy's counteroffensive," while the Russian soldiers boasted that their weapons were better than Western ones. The France 24 took the report down following the backlash.
On February 27, UAF Commander-in-Chief's Decree No. 73 regarding engagement with the mass media during martial law was amended. According to the changes, journalists will only receive accreditation for a period of up to six months, and the frontline area will now be divided into three access zones for media workers.
On March 20, the Media Movement, as well as Ukrainian and foreign journalists called the new excessive restrictions on the work of the media during martial law unacceptable and called for an immediate resolution of the situation with access to coverage of the hostilities and their consequences.
The international human rights organization "Reporters Without Borders" called on the Ukrainian authorities to lift the restrictions on journalists' access to covering the hostilities as well.
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