Media Movement demands MCSC resume issuing permits for traveling abroad to journalists

Illustration by the IMI

We, Ukrainian journalists and media workers, members of the Media Movement, express our deep concern over the decision by the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications (MCSC) to suspend the issuance of permits for traveling abroad to journalists. This move deals a serious blow to the media community's reputation and creates artificial obstacles to reporting for journalists.

For the three years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian journalists have been performing their work in good faith, covering events on the battlefield and in the homefront. They have also been securing international support for Ukraine through their work abroad. Thousands of our colleagues have joined the Ukrainian Armed Forces and are defending the country with weapons in their hands. 98 journalists died in that time, two-thirds of whom were killed in action.

In the meantime, the profession is increasingly stigmatized in society, in particular through the spread of unfounded allegations about journalists dodging the draft. According to our information, the number of journalists who did not come back after leaving abroad over the past year is less than ten people.

The MCSC decision creates serious risks for Ukrainian journalism and undermines its ability to work effectively. In particular, it disrupts the work of journalists covering international events and discredits the entire profession of journalism by unfoundedly and collectively condemning it.

We demand:

• That the MCSC revoke the decision to suspend the issuance of letters for traveling abroad to journalists. If there are individual violations, they should be reviewed by competent law enforcement agencies. Introducing mass restrictions for the entire profession is no way to address this situation.
• That the MCSC invlove its expert council in decision-making that concerns journalists' travel.
• That the MCSC ensure transparent decision-making and provide justification for restricting the travel of all journalists.
• That the MCSC refrain from creating additional bureaucratic obstacles to the work of journalists.
• That the MCSC promote the work of Ukrainian media.

We call on state authorities to respect the profession of journalism, as journalists are an integral part of Ukrainian society, and to engage with the community in a constructive dialogue so as not to weaken Ukraine.

For reference. The Media Movement is a community that brings together journalists from leading Ukrainian media, investigative journalists, and experts from media NGOs. Media Movement was launched on February 5, 2019.

The first signatories of the Media Movement Memorandum were UA: Pershyi, Ukrainian Radio, Hromadske Radio, Ukrinform, Interfax-Ukraine, Liga.net, Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. Ukraine”, NV, ‘Censor.net’, Channel 5, ‘Ukrainian Week’, Opinion, a number of regional media, NGOs Independent Media Council, Detector Media, Institute of Mass Information, Internews Ukraine, Center for Democracy and Rule of Law, Souspilnist Foundation, National Association of Media, Donetsk Institute of Information, Pylyp Orlyk Institute for Democracy, Zmina Human Rights Center.

The Movement was later joined by other organizations and individual journalists: more than 70 participants in total. On November 16, 2021, representatives of prominent media outlets called on journalists to unite in the professional community Media Movement to push back against political and commercial pressure on freedom of speech. The statement was initiated by 29 journalists and experts, their names are available here.