27 August 2021, Friday, 15:09 231

European Federation Of Journalists: Sanctions Against Strana.Ua Online Media Threatening Press, Free Speech, And Mass Media Pluralism In Ukraine

Редактор: Daria Zubkova

The European Federation of Journalists considers that the sanctions against the Strana.ua online media threaten the press, free speech, and mass media pluralism in Ukraine.

The press service of the Federation has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

"Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy banned the opposition news site Strana.ua and imposed sanctions on its editor-in-chief Ihor Huzhva. Lawyers criticized these measures for the lack of a legal basis. The said decision was taken only six months after the shutdown of three Ukrainian TV channels early in 2021. The European Federation of Journalists joined its branch in Ukraine, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), calling this extrajudicial action a threat to the press, freedom of speech and media pluralism in the country," the statement said.

It is also noted that the editorial staff of Strana.ua said in a letter that the actions of the Ukrainian government are illegal, and hopes that international journalists will raise the topic of censorship against their media.

According to the report, Strana.ua editor-in-chief Huzhva said he would continue to work despite the blockage.

The secretary general of the European Federation of Journalists, Ricardo Gutierrez, says that in a democracy, media problems must be dealt with in a legal way, which also ensures media pluralism.

In addition, he calls on the Ukrainian authorities to "find the best judicial solution regarding alleged threats to national security."

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on August 20, the National Security and Defense Council imposed sanctions against Rada deputy Andriy Derkach (non-factional), editor-in-chief of Strana.ua online media Huzhva, bloggers Anatolii Sharii and his wife Olha Sharii.