Ukraine: Journalists Must Be Better Protected

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) is strongly alarmed by the neglect of the ceasefire agreement in the armed conflict region in Ukraine which has compromised the safety of journalists. Today, the EFJ has learned the tragic death of journalist, Anatoly Klyan, at Channel One, the Russia’s state-owned TV station on Sunday, 29 June. According to media reports, the 68-year old cameraman was shot in the stomach when its film crew was travelling on a bus to a Ukrainian military base in eastern Ukraine, Donetsk. Klyan and other reporters were travelling with a group of soldiers’ mothers hoped to meeting their sons and take them home.

The EFJ has called on the authorities responsible to conduct a full and independent investigation about the tragic death of Klyan and renewed its demand for all factions in Ukraine to respect the rights and freedom of local and international media staff. ‘‘We would like to send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Klyan,’’ says EFJ, ‘‘We renew our appeal to media owners and local organisations to take all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of journalists working in dangerous zones.’’ The Russian Union of Journalists (RUJ), an EFJ affiliate, has also expressed ‘‘its sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and relatives of Klyan’’.  The RUJ has also called for a thorough investigation of the death of Klyan. Earlier in June, Rossiya TV journalist Igor Kornelyuk was also killed during a Ukrainian military mortar attack near Lugansk, in eastern Ukraine.