How to normalize media activity during martial law: analysis and recommendations

Aspen Institute Kyiv, and the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine, with the expert support of Internews-Ukraine, conducted an analysis of the conditions of journalistic activity during martial law. In particular, those restrictions introduced by state authorities from February 24. Among them: are restrictions on movement, access to military and civilian facilities, a ban on some filming, etc.

Government representatives argue for the need for additional regulations on the grounds of the safety of citizens and infrastructure facilities during hostilities. For their part, representatives of the media community strive for wider coverage of the war and the establishment of systemic processes for organizing journalistic activities under martial law. Thus, it is about finding a balance between freedom in the field of media coverage and maintaining security.

The analysis was carried out in several stages: an overview of the current regulation of media activities under martial law in Ukraine, an analysis of the regulation of media coverage of wars in certain foreign countries, written and oral interviews of experts and journalists, both domestic and foreign, in the format of interviews, round tables, which were joined by representatives of the media community and state authorities.

Representatives of the media community evaluated the rules of work of journalists in the conditions of martial law in Ukraine, shared their experience, and provided relevant advice. Existing problems and approaches were also commented on by representatives of the authorities (the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the Ministry of Defense, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine). Project experts also analyzed documents and recommendations of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.

Based on the conducted interviews, dialogues, and surveys, the Aspen Institute Kyiv, the OSCE Project Coordinator in Ukraine, with the expert support of Internews-Ukraine, developed a package of recommendations. Their goal is to improve the working conditions of journalists during martial law in Ukraine and to optimize their interaction with government officials and the military.

Among the recommendations:

• Office of the Prosecutor General and the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Law Enforcement — to develop and distribute a short note in English and Ukrainian on the rights and duties of journalists, responsibility for violating the rules of journalist work, contact details of press centers, press officers in various cities, the military administrations.
• The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — to consider the possibility of implementing the procedure for appealing the refusal to grant accreditation and its deprivation.
• The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs should take measures to introduce the basic rules for working with journalists to military personnel, members of the Special Operations Forces, and police officers.
• Officials of local authorities and military-civilian administrations should assist accredited journalists in obtaining special permits for work in the regions.
• Media editors — to acquaint media workers with the rules of activity during martial law.

Read the full text of the study at the link: https://bit.ly/3ORDg25.

Read all recommendations at the link: https://bit.ly/3yvIona.