Safety of Journalists: an imperative for free media

Conference co-organised by Ukrainian MFA, OSCE, Council of Europe, UNESCO, Institute for Mass Information.

The general secretary of the EFJ Ricardo Gutiérrez will attend the meeting. He will present the outcomes of the Council of Europe Platform for the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists.

Draft agenda:

09.00-09.30 Registration

09.30-10.15 Opening remarks (Moderator:  Mariana Betsa)

1. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
2. Svyatoslav Tsegolko, Administration of the President of Ukraine
3. Vaidotas Verba, OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine
4. Dunja Mijatović, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media
5. Mårten Ehnberg, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine
6. UNESCO representative

10.15-11.15 High-level discussion (Moderator: Oksana Romaniuk)

1. Tsegolko
2. UNESCO
3. Ministry of Internal Affairs, representative
4. General Prosecutor’s Office, representative
5. Sergey Tomilenko, National Union of Journalists

Participants will discuss situation on safety of journalists in Ukraine with focus on developments since end-2013. What was the progress in investigating cases of violence towards journalists? What were the obstacles? What can be done to improve the situation?

11.15  – 11.45      Coffee break

(Press conference during break)

11:45  – 13.00      Gaps in current legislation and measures to address that.

1. Roman Golovenko, Institute of Mass Media
2. Pavlo Pushkar
3. Viktoria Siumar, Verhovna Rada
4. General Prosecutor’s methodology department representative

During the panel representatives of the MIA, Prosecutor’s Office and responsible parliamentary committees will discuss proposed amendments to the Criminal Code developed by media NGOs.

13.00 – 14.00         Lunch

14.00 -15.15          Administration of Justice

1. Maksym Ratushny, IMI
2. Svitlana Ostapa, Detektor Media
3. High Council of Justice representative
4. General Prosecutor representative

During the panel, law practitioners and representatives of the judiciary will discuss the judicial measures in cases of violence against journalists, as well as the need for changes to increase the effectiveness of the court system in the protection of media freedom. Also to be considered will be safety of journalists when covering court hearings.

15.15 – 16.00          Wrap-Up discussion (moderated by UNESCO)