Ukraine: Online Harassment Of Journalists At Ukrainska Pravda Following Report On Politicians – CFWIJ Calls On Ukrainian Authorities To Investigate
Location: Ukraine, Kyiv
Date: February 3, 2023
The Chief Editor of Ukrainska Pravda, Sevgil Musaieva, and reporter Mykhailo Tkach have been sent hundreds of offensive messages on social media since publishing a report on a Ukrainian politician’s trip to Dubai. The Coalition for Women in Journalism calls on the Ukrainian authorities to investigate those harassing the journalists.
On January 27 Ukrainska Pravda published an investigation by Mykhailo Tkach concerning wealthy Ukrainians staying in Dubai. The report revealed that Yulia Tymoshenko, leader of political parliamentary group Batkivshchyna, stayed in a luxurious five-star resort in January 2023. The report resulted in public outrage as citizens expressed their anger at the behavior of their politicians while the country is at war.
Since publishing the report Musaieva and Tkach have received menacing messages online. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reviewed screenshots of Facebook messages threatening that Musaieva, will “be held accountable for everything one day” and criticizing Tkach for leaving the country to work during the war. Musaieva and Ukrainska Pravda’s staff have previously received death threats for reporting on local government officials.
Speaking with CPJ, Musaieva said that the messages “are trying to bully him [Tkach] and to bully Ukrainska Pravda’s editorial staff. These are psychological attacks.” She also claimed that the harassment was coming from representatives of Tymoshenko’s party and its fans. She called the messages “de facto pressure from a [political] party on the press.”
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine CFWIJ has documented the deaths of three women journalists. Journalists continue to face challenges while reporting on the war. The independent news outlet Ukrainska Pravda has been an important news source both nationally and internationally. As its editor, Sevgil Musaieva was named one of the Time’s most influential people in 2022. She has also received the Albert Londres Prize and CPJ’s 2022 International Press Freedom Award.
The Coalition For Women in Journalism is alarmed at the harassment of these journalists and calls for the Ukrainian authorities to conduct an investigation and find the perpetrators. The staff at Ukrainska Pravda need to continue their reporting on domestic politics free from intimidation. By holding public officials accountable and investigating corruption, journalism strengthens democracy.
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 female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.