SOS Kiev: International and European Federations of Journalists launch campaign to support their Ukrainian colleagues

“As the violence and turmoil escalates in Ukraine’s capital city, there have been many reports of widespread abuse, intimidation and violence against journalists covering the protests. To date, over 150 journalists and media workers have been attacked,” the campaign newsletter says. “To respond to the crisis, the International Federation of Journalists and the European Federation of Journalists have launched a campaign calling for your support to demand the Ukrainian Government to respect press freedom and end attacks on journalists in the country.”

In the past few days alone, 42 journalists have been attacked while reporting on the protests, the initiators say. Therefore, IFJ and EFJ affiliates in Ukraine, the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine (IMTUU) and the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), will be monitoring the situation closely and are providing the latest updates on the attacks on journalists.

The campaign offers Ukrainian journalists in need of financial assistance for immediate medical, legal or security expenses to apply to the IFJ Safety Fund, set up to help reporters who experience violence, threats and injuries as a result of the work they do worldwide. For those willing to join the campaign, IFJ and EFJ urge volunteers to provide refuge to Ukrainian journalists fleeing from Ukraine for safety reasons; join the social media campaign by hashtagging solidarity message to #SOS Kiev; sign the petition letter to the Ukrainian President calling for an end to violence against journalists; help the IFJ and EFJ document attacks on journalists by hashtagging alerts or pictures to #SOS Kiev; or donate to the Safety Fund to provide financial assistance to journalists.

Also, the newsletter provides safety tips for journalists reporting at protests.