Vienna, 02/06/2016
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) was alarmed by the latest developments following the personal data breach incident in Ukraine.
The website Myrotvorets recently disclosed personal data about several hundred journalists that were targeted as contributors to Russian media outlets without their consent. After an international and public outcry, the Ukrainian government failed to seriously condemn this act or protect the journalists in question.
Additional, on 27 May, a decree was issued that imposes personal sanctions against 19 Russian Federation media executives for broadcasting propaganda, and allegedly ‘being a threat to national interest, facilitating terrorist activity and violating citizens’. The decree prevents the named individuals from entering Ukraine until December 31, 2017. The ban was simultaneously lifted for 29 other journalists.
‘SEEMO is deeply concerned by this recent development in Ukraine’, said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic, ‘We call on authorities to refrain from using such oppressive methods against journalists and media workers, and urge them to immediately lift all bans of this kind’.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe and its press freedom work is supported by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) project, as part of a grant by the European Commission.