Czech journalist Kristina (born Janderová) Ciroková (@cirokova_k) has recently faced an investigation by Slovak authorities after reporting on an Ukrainian cult that is allegedly spreading pro-Russian propaganda. The investigation began following her 19 December 2023 publication on Seznam Zprávy (https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/), which revealed the whereabouts of one leader of the cult, who had fled Ukraine.
Ciroková has been accused by the local Slovak prosecutor’s office in Žilina, Slovakia, of promoting an “anti-cult movement” that allegedly violates fundamental rights. Despite these vague and unsubstantiated allegations, she refused to provide additional information about her work, citing concerns for journalistic freedom. Ciroková’s investigation into the cult began in March 2023, and her work has drawn international attention, especially after interviewing a representative of this cult, who denied the charges against him and the cult.
One prosecutor, although not officially assigned to the case, has been involved in Ciroková’s interrogation and allegedly has been linked to events organized by this sect, raising concerns about her impartiality. This prosecutor has since resigned from her position as head of the organized crime division after media exposure of her alleged ties to the sect. The Slovak prosecutor’s office has faced widespread condemnation from both Czech, Slovak and international press organizations, including the Czech Syndicate of Journalists (Syndikát novinářů České republiky – https://www.syndikat-novinaru.cz/), which warned that these actions are part of a broader trend of press suppression in Slovakia.
The cult harassment extended to other journalists, including Slovak reporter Karolína Kiripolská, who was also interrogated in connection with her coverage of the cult’s suspicious activities. Karolina is currently working for the Investigative Center of Jan Kuciak (Investigatívne centrum Jána Kuciaka – https://www.icjk.sk/) and fact-checking for the US-based Lead Stories (https://leadstories.com/).
Ciroková, born 1978, is a reporter working from 2014-2020 in the Czech television program 168 hodin, broadcasted on Czech Television (ČT), the public TV operating nationwide in the Czech Republic. In the past she also worked as a dramaturg of the discussion program Partie on Prima television, previously as a reporter for MF DNES. Since 2020, she has been working in the editorial office of the Internet news Seznam Zprávy. She is author of the show Terrain and the podcast series Sects CZ.
The prosecutor of the Department of Serious Criminal Activities of the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Slovak Republic stopped on 18 October 2024 the prosecution of Seznam Zpráv reporter Kristina Ciroková and other persons. According to him, the act is not a crime.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), condemns the investigation and intimidation of Czech journalist Kristina Ciroková by the Žilina Regional Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecution’s actions targeting Ciroková for her investigative reporting represented a grave violation of press freedom and a clear attempt to silence critical journalism. SEEMO welcomes the decision by the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Slovak Republic to stop the prosecution of Kristina Ciroková and other persons.
Such persecution of journalists undermines democratic values and the right to freedom of expression.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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