CPJ calls on President's Office of Ukraine to stop systematic pressure on Ukrainska Pravda

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Ukrainian authorities to stop obstructing the independent media outlet Ukrainska Pravda.

Source: CPJ statement

Quote from Gulnoza Said, CPJ's Europe and Central Asia programme coordinator: "Leading independent Ukrainian media outlet Ukrainska Pravda has paid a steep price for a quarter-century of rigorous reporting. 

The Ukrainian president’s office’s efforts to block its work are nothing short of anti-democratic given the essential role of the newsroom in upholding a core national value of freedom of the press."

"Ukrainian authorities must never discourage investigative journalistic work, whether during periods of peace or war."

Background: Ukrainska Pravda published a statement on 9 October saying it has been facing "ongoing and systematic pressure" the Office of the President of Ukraine exerts on the editorial team and "certain journalists" of Ukrainska Pravda.

Details: UP's programme director Andrii Bystrov told CPJ that officials regularly receive directives not to engage with the outlet on specific issues.

UP also reported that the president's office pressured private companies to stop advertising with them, with some advertisers withdrawing after receiving calls from the administration. 

Bystrov noted that such efforts to block information "typically intensify following the publication of high-profile investigative reports or analytical articles concerning the political situation in Ukraine".

An emotional August conversation between Zelenskyy and UP journalist Roman Kravets saw the president accuse the outlet of following directives from other political forces, known as "temnyky".

UP Editor-in-Chief Sevgil Musaieva denied such practices.

Quote from CPJ: "Two Ukrainska Pravda journalists, Georgy Gongadze and Pavel Sheremet, have been killed in connection with their work since the outlet’s founding in 2000; others, including Musaieva, have been obstructed and threatened over their work.

Several other Ukrainian investigative journalists have also faced surveillance, violence, and intimidation in connection with their work since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country."

Details: CPJ has reached out to Zelenskyy's office for comment but has yet to receive a response.

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