Institute of Mass Information (IMI)

Making a statement during International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO-T).

Ever since Russian military troops entered the autonomous parliamentary republic of Crimea, local TV channels have been intimidated, camera operators have been beaten and websites have been targeted by DDoS attacks.

Vyacheslav Veremyi’s death is a tragic outcome of the social unrest that has overtaken Ukraine since November 2013, when citizens began demonstrating against President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision not to sign EU trade agreements.

Since 21 November – the beginning of mass protests in Ukraine – 136 journalists have been injured according to data collected by the Institute of Mass Information and presented in two infographics.

Described by local civil society groups as the “legal establishment of dictatorship,” Law 3879 cracks down on protests, access to information and digital rights.

Oleksiy Grytsenko, the activist whom journalist Tetiana Chornovol called on the night she was beaten, informed Hromadske TV that on December 24 Tetiana went to take photos of the mansions of the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Prosecutor General.

IFEX members are calling on the president of Romania to veto proposed changes to the penal code passed by Parliament that would recriminalise insult and libel.

IFEX members strongly condemn recent attacks on journalists during public demonstrations in Kyiv and call for those responsible to be held accountable.