Human Rights Ombudsman appeals to Defense Minister over the revoked journalist accreditations
Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets appealed to Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov with a demand to restore the accreditation of Ukrainian and foreign media workers who were covering the events in Kherson immediately after the liberation.
He reported this on Telegram.
Lubinets stressed that control over media access is necessary in wartime and is an international standard.
"However, communication with the international media, whose task is to provide operational on-the-ground coverage so that the citizens of our partner countries can see for themselves what weapon supplies and humanitarian aid programs financed by their taxes are working, has been lacking. In such conditions, canceling permits is unacceptable. This decision and the civil-military communications departments' approach to work must be reviewed. This is exactly what I said in my appeal to Reznikov," Dmytro Lubinets wrote.
As IMI reported, several media representatives who had violated the rules of working in combat zones had their work permits revoked and their press cards invalidated by the Ministry of Defense. Namely, Hromadske journalists Anastasia Stanko and Mykola Pastyko, as well as some CNN and SkyNews journalists have been stripped of their accreditation. Suspilne and Hromadske's filming crews have also been working in Kherson after the liberation of the city. The Rada channel has also done a live stream from Kherson.
The General Staff noted that the order of the UAF Commander-in-Chief No. 73, dated 03.03.2022, is delivered to all media representatives as they are being given their press card.
On November 11, on the day Kherson was liberated, Operational Command "South" announced that mass media's access to settlements that were de-occupied in November 2022 would be temporarily restricted.
"Please note that work in the settlements located in the combat zone is regulated by the order of the UAF Commander-in-Chief No. 73, dated 03.03.2022; non-compliance with this order may become grounds for a journalist's accreditation being revoked. These settlements will be accessible no sooner than the defense forces complete stabilization efforts," the military stressed.
Journalists and media CSOs demand that the accreditation revoked for reporting from Kherson be restored.
Help us be even more cool!
