Press release September 16, 2015
Ukraine Imposes Draconian Ban on Journalists
President Poroshenko signed a decree banning 388 individuals whom the government perceives to be a potential threat to national interests, including many journalists, bloggers.
Washington
In response to a decree signed by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko banning at least 41 international journalists from Ukraine for one year, Freedom House issued the following statement:
“It is deplorable that the Ukrainian government is using draconian measures to censor international coverage of events inside the country,” said Robert G. Herman, vice president for international programs. "Restrictions should not be imposed on the press except in the most extraordinary circumstances. The government should allow a diversity of voices, which allows citizens to form their own opinions.”
Background:
On September 16, 2015, President Poroshenko signed a decree banning 388 individuals whom the government perceives to be an actual or potential threat to national interests, national security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine. They include 34 journalists and seven bloggers from Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Serbia Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The list also includes officials and others from Russia and other countries, as well as persons associated with Russian President Putin’s United Russia party.
The signing of this decree coincides with the 15th anniversary of the abduction and murder of Heorhiy Gongadze, a leading investigative journalist, former editor of Ukrains’ka Pravda, and dogged champion of freedom of speech in Ukraine.
Ukraine is rated Partly Free in Freedom of the World 2015, partly free in Freedom of the Press 2015, Partly Free in Freedom on the Net 2014, and receives a democracy score of 4.75 on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 being the worst possible score, in Nations in Transit 2015.