Journalists in Ukraine must be protected

“Some say the first casualty of war is truth. We must not let this happen.” MEP David Casa, in his capacity as Co-Chair of the Media Working Group of the European Parliament, called for the protection of journalists on the ground in Ukraine following the targeting of broadcasting equipment by Russian forces.

“We should protect independent journalists who are risking life and limb in order to keep the civilian population safe and the international community up to date with the latest developments on the ground,” he added.

Casa spoke after joining MEPs from the Media Working Group of the European Parliament in calling on all EU governments, the EU Commission and the Council of the European Union to redouble their efforts to protect war reporters in Ukraine.

“Images of journalists reporting from shelters, anchors delivering news from underground locations or reporters close to locations under shelling and heavy bombardment are now part of everyday life.

“Therefore, we call on EU and Member States authorities to urgently mobilise and provide journalists on the ground with necessary protective equipment such as helmets, bulletproof vests, ballistic protection plates or ballistic glasses,” the statement reads.

The MEPs condemned the targeting of civilian infrastructure, namely the Kyiv TV Tower, as an illegitimate military target and an attack on journalism.

Turning to Russia itself, they condemned Putin’s efforts to censor the press, including the ban on the words “war”, “attack” and “invasion” from being used in reference to Ukraine. The Russian media regulator had become “the Kremlin’s ‘Ministry of Truth’”, the letter said.

“The right to information is fundamental,” Casa said. “At a time where disinformation poses a security threat, independent journalists are vital. Europe pledged to support the free press before, and it cannot go back on its promise to protect journalists, now more than ever.

“The world needs to see what is happening in Ukraine. As we saw in the UN General Assembly only yesterday, nobody believes Putin. The facts on the ground reported by journalists supply us with the essential facts without which justice is impossible,” he concluded.

The statement affirmed that “ensuring access to this information becomes a vital security and defence component.”

“The physical safety of journalists delivering independent reporting from the ground must be protected immediately. Journalists and media professionals are risking their lives in order to keep the civilian population safe and the international community up to date with the latest developments on the ground.”

The Statement of the Media Working Group is situated on the right-hand side of this press release.