Working as a journalist trying to cover the EuroMaidan story is hazardous duty in Ukraine.
And carrying press credentials or wearing a bright orange vest marked “press” doesn’t always help. By the latest count, 42 journalists have been injured or had their property damaged while covering the violent clashes that started on Jan. 19 between police and protesters, according to the Institute of Mass Information.
However, police spokesman Okeksandr Radkevych said that the Interior Ministry has no precise numbers of journalists injured since Jan. 19 and that none has filed official complaints against officers. He denies police have anything against journalists doing their jobs.
“There’s no way police can be targeting journalists, just no way!” Radklevych said. “Police’s purpose is to defend people, not to hunt, and that’s what we do. Journalists just often happen to be among those people who take active part in attacks, maybe for making a better shot or catching a better emotion on the faces of conflict participants. And I am not blaming journalists, this is their job, but they also should be more careful.”
The EuroMaidan demonstrations that started Nov. 21, triggered by President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to abandon closer European Union ties, have been marred by violence almost from the start. On Dec. 1, a day after public outrage over the Nov. 30 beating of dozens of demonstrators by police, at least 40 journalists were injured – mostly at the hands of the police – while covering a mass rally.
There were other injuries, but no deaths until Jan. 22, when at least two men were fatally shot during clashes with police. And in the four-day period between Jan. 19-22, journalists again appear to have been singled out for punishment by police or just simply in a bad place at the wrong time. In one case, an errant brick thrown from a protester struck a journalist in the head.
Eugeniy Feldman, a Russian journalist and press photographer for “Novaya Gazeta,” was wounded on Jan. 19. “When buses were burning, we located next to the parking line. I stood under a street light wearing an orange jacket, so everybody could see that I am a journalist,” Feldman said. He stayed at least 10 meters away from other people involved in clashes, but that turned out to be too close.
“A mask saved me from getting a direct hit from a flash grenade, which exploded under my feet.” Feldman was temporarily deafened by the blast. “I feel much better now and I am not going to press charges,” he said.
Channel 5 TV cameraman Ivan Nakonechniy had a rubber bullet fired by police narrowly miss him but strike his camera, breaking it. “We pressed two charges: one for the property damage and one for attempted assault,” Nakonechniy said.
In another incident, a policeman shot at but missed Nakonechniy.
Two journalists working for the Ukrainian version of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty — Dmitriy Barkar and Ihor Ishakov – say they were not only beaten by police on Jan. 20, but also detained and transported to the police department.
“In the morning, when the clashes calmed down, we decided to get closer and take several pictures. Berkut (riot police officers) suddenly stepped forward and we were arrested and beaten, “ Barkar said, adding that police beat them as they entered their ranks.
After their release six hours later, they went to the hospital to have their injuries documented and filed a complaint with police.
International organizations supporting journalist have taken notice.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists on Jan. 22 said: “Journalists in Ukraine are under attack. We deplore the assaults on reporters covering the protests in Kyiv and call on the security forces to respect the rights of journalists to work in safety. We also urge the government to repeal the laws, which give Ukraine some of the most repressive media legislation in Europe.”
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s free speech chief, Dunja Mijatovic,also issued a statement of concern on Jan. 22.
“I am especially alarmed that most of the journalists received injuries from stun grenades and rubber bullets used by the police during recent events,” Mijatovic said in a letter to Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara. “In some cases, journalists reportedly were specifically targeted by the law enforcement despite clear identification as members of the media. Journalists’ safety must be guaranteed at all times and those responsible for the crimes against journalists must be brought to justice to prevent an environment of intimidation, fear and impunity.”
