Ukraine: Concerns Over Surveillance and Attacks Against Investigative Journalists and Outlets
Worrying number of attempts to discredit and intimidate reporting state corruption
Location: Ukraine
Date: January 14-16, 2024Update: February 7, 2024
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom expresses deep concern over the deliberate targeting of independent media and investigative journalists by anonymous Telegram channels openly aligning with the government. These channels, in collaboration with propaganda websites, stand accused of orchestrating real-life provocations to tarnish the reputation of journalists, labeling them as 'enemies of the people,' Russian agents, or drug addicts. It is imperative to recognize that investigative journalists play an important role in holding those in power accountable, even when a nation is at war. Their dedication to uncovering and exposing corruption is integral to strengthening democracy. Such work deserves applause and support from those in Ukraine aspiring to foster a democratic and free society. While we appreciate President Zelensky’s commitment to investigating these attacks, we urge him and other key political figures to unequivocally condemn these assaults on the press.
On January 16, 2024, Bihus.info, an investigative outlet, reported a sophisticated attack against its staff. A video titled "People’s Truth" containing footage of the journalists spread online. The video, allegedly showing drug use by Bihus.info staff — including at least 4 women journalists — at a private New Year’s party, was shared on social media platforms. Denys Bihus, the founder of Bihus.info, revealed that the surveillance and video publication were part of a systematic, long-term effort to undermine the credibility of the team's work.
Volodymyr Zelenchuk, a media lawyer from the Ukrainian press freedom organization IMI, pointed out that the video potentially violates the right to privacy of media workers, suggesting criminal offenses in the process. He stated that regardless of the circumstances, such actions are crimes and should be treated as such.
Bihus.Info disclosed on February 5, 2024 that its reporters had uncovered the identities of those responsible for installing covert surveillance cameras in hotel rooms to monitor the editorial team. Based on the journalistic probe, the perpetrators were identified as personnel from the Security Service of Ukraine.
A day later Bihus.info’s editor Alisa Yurchenko revealed that the team still faced surveillance and intimidation while investigating those responsible for the video. "We continued to notice spies outside our office. These were typical stalkers who walked around the office building. When we asked them what they were doing there, they couldn't give a satisfactory answer and would just keep circling the office. Again, there were cars with fake license plates, and all of this persisted. Maybe it’s lessened a bit in the last couple of days, but until it became clear that we were going public with this material, they were definitely active," says Yurchenko.
In a separate incident journalist Yuriy Nikolov, whose exposé on corruption within the defense ministry led to the resignation of Defense Minister Oleskiy Reznikov, was also targeted. On January 14, 2024, Nikolov faced harassment when attackers banged on his door and placed posters labeling him "traitor" and "provocateur" outside his home. Pro-government Telegram channels shared images of the posters, prompting suspicions of law enforcement agency involvement.
“Until it became clear that we were going public with this material, they (secret service) were definitely active”
President Zelenskyy responded to these attacks by stating that the domestic security service (SBU) has launched an investigation into the monitoring of journalists, noting that any pressure on journalists is unacceptable. The SBU announced it was investigating “the circumstances of the illegal wiretapping and video recording” of Bihus.info staff.
On February 7, 2024, Roman Semenchenko, head of the SBU state protection department, was fired due to the surveillance of Bihus.info staff. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved the dismissal following revelations of monitoring by the SBU.
Natalia Lyhachova, editor-in-chief of Detector Media, noted the concerning shift from online harassment to physical intimidation. She criticized the so-called "information army," accusing them of labeling government critics as "Russian agents" and "enemies of the president."
A coalition of Ukrainian media groups, including Detector Media, Ukrainska Pravda, NV, Censor.net, Babel, and Liga.net, has united to condemn these attacks as crimes requiring urgent attention from law enforcement. They demand swift identification and prosecution of those responsible for harassing and targeting journalists.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom echoes the Ukrainian press coalition's call, emphasizing the critical nature of journalists' work and the necessity for them to report without fear of reprisal. We welcome the investigation launched by the SBU and the decision to dismiss the officer involved in the unjust surveillance of Bihus.info staff.
Women Press Freedom stands in solidarity with journalists uncovering wrongdoings and corruption, recognizing the exceptional challenges they face while reporting in a country at war, under daily attacks from Russia. We commend their dedication to journalism.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help women career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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