11
Aug 2017
Lvl. 2
State replied
Alert created on: 17 Sep 2015
Ukraine
Ukraine Bans 38 European Journalists and Bloggers over “National Interest, Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity"
Source of threatState
CategoryOther acts having chilling effects on media freedom
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree banning up to 388 people, including at least 38 international journalists and bloggers from the country for one year.
The President’s decree, which was signed yesterday 16 September 2015 and published on the presidential website, names 388 people who are accused of “representing an actual or potential threat to national interests, national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
The decree claims that the ban targets people involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the current aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
The 31 journalists and seven bloggers named on the list are nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Rebublic of Moldova, Poland, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The original list included three BBC media staff members - Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg, producer Emma Wells and cameraman Anton Chicherov - who were later removed from the ban list, media reported.
The President’s decree, which was signed yesterday 16 September 2015 and published on the presidential website, names 388 people who are accused of “representing an actual or potential threat to national interests, national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
The decree claims that the ban targets people involved in Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the current aggression in Eastern Ukraine.
The 31 journalists and seven bloggers named on the list are nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Rebublic of Moldova, Poland, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The original list included three BBC media staff members - Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg, producer Emma Wells and cameraman Anton Chicherov - who were later removed from the ban list, media reported.
Updates
30 May 2016
On 27 May 2016, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a presidential decree, enacting a decision of the National Security and Defence Council resolution of 20 May 2016, lifting sanctions on 29 foreign journalists. At the same time, the list has been updated to include 19 media executives of the Russian Federation broadcasters.
Additional Information
- Letter of the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
- Article on IndexOnCensorship website: 'Index on Censorship condemns the move to ban 38 international journalists and bloggers from Ukraine'
- Statement on the EFJ website: 'IFJ and EFJ slam Ukraine over ban of 38 European journalists and bloggers'
- Statement on the IFJ website: 'Ukraine bans 38 European journalists and bloggers'
State replies
11 Aug 2017
Reply from the Government of Ukraine
Follow-ups
17 Sep 2015
Statement by the Spokesperson of the Secretary General on Ukraine's sanctions against media
17 Sep 2015
Statement by the Commissioner for Human Rights