Europäische Journalisten Föderation

EFJ alarmed by the creation of “Orwellian” information ministry


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_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) are alarmed by the creation of a government body to control information and the media in Ukraine. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_According to media reports, the Ukrainian Parliament on Tuesday 2 December has passed a proposal to create a new body called the Ministry of Information Policy with the aim of “confronting Russia’s formidable propaganda machine”. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_The government has appointed Mr. Yuriy Stets, a close ally to President Petro Poroshenko and the head of the Information Security Department of the National Guard of Ukraine, to lead the ministry. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_The EFJ and IFJ have criticised the decision to create the new body, warning that it will further stifle media freedom in the country. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_The federations have called on the Ukrainian government to respect media freedom and the rights of journalists by revoking its decision to create the new ministry. “No further action should be taken without full consultation of the Ukraine media community and journalists unions,” said IFJ/EFJ._EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_Following the announcement, some journalists and activists from Ukrainian have staged protests outside the parliament criticising the parliament for rushing through the proposal without any public debate and consultation with journalists and civil society organisations. _EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

_EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_“Do not fight propaganda with propaganda,” the IFJ/EFJ warned._EQFW_SLASH_R__EQFW_SLASH_N_

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Лещенко прийшов до парламенту з плакатом проти цензури і #МінПравди. #рада8 pic.twitter.com/vGqXmPxj0U

— Hromadske.TV (@HromadskeTV) 2 Décembre 2014

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#Ukraine initiative to create a ministry of information a clear threat to #mediafreedom, this is not the way to counter #propaganda /RDM

— Dunja Mijatovic (@OSCE_RFoM) 3 Décembre 2014

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Photo credit : Ukrainian journalist hold placards reading “No censorship”, front of the Cabinet of the Ministers in Kiev on May 23, 2013. (AFP PHOTO/ SERGEI SUPINSKY) .

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