National Union of Journalists releases list of enemies of press freedom

The NUJ appeal also includes the most high-profile cases of mugging the media by officials.
In a particular case, deputy head of Kyiv police Volodymyr Dmytrenko told the journalists who protested maltreatment by the police, ”Journalists often get in the way, and then complain of being maltreated. Don’t get in the way – and you won’t be beaten up.” This kind of advice, the NUJ appeal runs, clearly shows how the police understand their role.
The appeal also describes the tricks used by the authorities to interfere with journalists’ work, like unleashing tax inspectors on the media, impounding computers of media outlets for checks, cutting funding to state-owned outlets, coercing owners of media outlets, etc.
The new regime has imposed restrictions on releasing information on the maintenance of lawmakers to the media, calling it interference with private lives of politicians. Moreover, the Ukrainian parliament apparat has reduced the areas in the Rada where journalists can videotape their interviews as well as reduced the number of seats for journalists in the Rada session hall.
Such actions by the regime are inadmissible in a democratic society, the NUJ appeal says.