Guarantees of protection of media workers

16/ 08/ 2022

Author: Oleksandr Fedorko, Attorney at Dynasty Law & Investment With the invasion of the Russian military on the territory of Ukraine, two fronts of the war began, the second of which is informational. Therefore, the work of mass media workers, who quickly cover real events in Ukraine and convey the truth about the Russian special operation to the world, is extremely important for the victory of our country. However, in such cases, journalists themselves often become targets of the enemy. It is obvious that no report is worth the health or life of any of the journalists. Therefore, journalists who will go on a business trip to report information from the areas of military (combat) operations or from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine must be properly protected. In order to provide guarantees of protection to mass media workers, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law of Ukraine No. 2382-IX of 08.07.2022, which, in accordance with European standards, in particular, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe No. R (96) 4, provides that mass media workers ( including journalists), who must insure their life and health during their work in areas of military (combat) operations and/or in temporarily occupied territories. Along with this, the Law provides all mass media workers who work in life- and health-threatening conditions with appropriate means of protection (body armor, helmets for protection against firearms and fragmentation weapons, as well as first-aid kits). Since, in accordance with the current provisions of Article 15 of the Law On State Support of Mass Media and Social Protection of Journalists, the duty of mass media sending employees on business trips is only to provide them with documents, signs, signals and other means of identifying the person of the press representative. However, in wartime, journalists need other protection. It should be emphasized that the adoption of the Law will not only help to protect journalists during their coverage of information from areas of military (combat) operations or temporarily occupied territories, but will also bring Ukrainian legislation closer to European standards.

Author: Oleksandr Fedorko, Attorney at Dynasty Law & Investment

With the invasion of the Russian military on the territory of Ukraine, two fronts of the war began, the second of which is informational. Therefore, the work of mass media workers, who quickly cover real events in Ukraine and convey the truth about the Russian “special operation” to the world, is extremely important for the victory of our country. However, in such cases, journalists themselves often become targets of the enemy.

It is obvious that no report is worth the health or life of any of the journalists. Therefore, journalists who will go on a business trip to report information from the areas of military (combat) operations or from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine must be properly protected.

In order to provide guarantees of protection to mass media workers, the Verkhovna Rada adopted Law of Ukraine No. 2382-IX of 08.07.2022, which, in accordance with European standards, in particular, in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe No. R (96) 4, provides that mass media workers ( including journalists), who must insure their life and health during their work in areas of military (combat) operations and/or in temporarily occupied territories.

Along with this, the Law provides all mass media workers who work in life- and health-threatening conditions with appropriate means of protection (body armor, helmets for protection against firearms and fragmentation weapons, as well as first-aid kits). Since, in accordance with the current provisions of Article 15 of the Law “On State Support of Mass Media and Social Protection of Journalists”, the duty of mass media sending employees on business trips is only to provide them with documents, signs, signals and other means of identifying the person of the press representative. However, in wartime, journalists need other protection.

It should be emphasized that the adoption of the Law will not only help to protect journalists during their coverage of information from areas of military (combat) operations or temporarily occupied territories, but will also bring Ukrainian legislation closer to European standards.