Independent journalists in Ukraine and Russia deserve our support and admiration
This text was originally published on 27th February 2022 as the joint statement of Slovak editors in chief to support Ukrainian and independent Russian journalists. Independent journalistic organisations from CEE join the Slovak editor’s statement and call for support to our colleagues in Ukraine.
Support financially independent media in Ukraine! You can donate here
Vladimir Putin started a war. Now he wants to silence journalists writing the truth about his war crime. His censors launched an attack against the remaining free media in the country. Those that Putin has branded enemies of Russia and agents of foreign powers for a decade.
The Russian police are arresting journalists who want people to learn about the protests against Putin’s war taking place in Russian cities.
The Russian censorship office wants to ban free media and journalists from using words like invasion, attack, shelling or war. He wants them to talk about a peace mission and publish only information coming from governmental sources.
But the truth cannot be silenced, neither in Russia nor in Ukraine.
We stand by all our colleagues who defend what remains of the freedom of speech in Russia. Ukrainian journalists are defending not only their country, but also the right to freedom for all of us.
Our colleagues in Ukraine are in danger now, but so are all Ukrainians. This once again shows how important independent and courageous journalists are for the free society.
We hope our colleagues covering the conflict will soon return home safe and sound. But our Russian and Ukrainian colleagues will stay there, and they deserve our support and admiration.
Beata Balogová, editor-in-chief, SME, Slovakia
Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief, Aktuality.sk, Slovakia
Matúš Kostolný, editor-in-chief, Denník N, Slovakia
Lukáš Diko, editor-in-chief, Investigative Centre of Ján Kuciak, Slovakia
Henrich Krejča, editor-in-chief of the news service, Markíza, Slovakia
Attila Lovász, editor-in-chief of the news service, RTVS, Slovakia
Roland Kubina, editor-in-chief of the news service, TV JOJ, Slovakia
Štefan Hríb, editor-in-chief, .týždeň, Slovakia
Júlia Kováčová, editor-in-chief, Nový Čas, Slovakia
Jakub Prokeš, editor-in-chief, Pravda, Slovakia
Jaroslav Vrábeľ, editor-in-chief, Korzár, Slovakia
Peter Palovič, head of news desk, Rádio Expres, Slovakia
Braňo Závodský, deputy heaf of news desk, Rádio Expres, Slovakia
Marcela Šimková, editor-in-chief, Hospodárske Noviny, Slovakia
Michaela Terenzani, editor-in-chief, The Slovak Spectator, Slovakia
Ivana Mandáková, editor-in-chief, Plus1Deň, Slovakia
Csaba Nyerges, editor-in-chief, Új Szó Cs., Slovakia
Liszka Györgyi, editor-in-chief, Vasárnap, Slovakia
Michal Pobeha, editor-in-chief, SITA, Slovakia
Marián Kolár, editor-in-chief, TASR, Slovakia
Martin Hanus, editor-in-chief, Postoj, Slovakia
Alexej Fulmek, chairman, Association of Print and Digital Media, Slovakia
Marian Zima, chairman, Association for the Protection of Journalistic Ethics, Slovakia
Alena Pániková, president of the Print-Digital Council of the Slovak Republic, Slovakia
Lucia Yar, zastupujúca šéfredaktorka, EURACTIV Slovensko, Slovakia
Radovan Geist, vydavateľ, EURACTIV Slovensko, Slovakia
Lukáš Fila, vydavateľ, N-Press, Slovakia
Ivan Brožík, šéfredaktor, REGIONPRESS, Slovakia
Branislav Karvaš šéfredaktor topky.sk, Slovakia
Peter Halász, vydavateľ, JAGA Group, Slovakia
Radek Pozděna, vydavateľ, REAL PRESS, Slovakia
Matúš Baňovič, šéfredaktor, Refresher.sk, Slovakia
Martina Balleková, šéfredaktorka, TA3, Slovakia
Mihkel Kärmas, editor-in-chief, Eyewitness TV programme, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Estonia
Holger Roonemaa, head of investigations, Delfi Estonia, Eesti Ekspress, Eesti Päevaleht, Estonia
Urmo Soonvald, editor-in-chief, Delfi Estonia, Eesti Päevaleht, Estonia
Hindrek Riikoja, editor-in-chief, Maaleht, Estonia
Mihkel Kärmas, editor-in-chief, Eyewitness TV programme, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Estonia
Meelis Mandel, editor-in-chief, Äripäev, Estonia
Martin Šmutov, editor-in-chief, Õhtuleht, Estonia
Tamás Bodoky, editor-in-chief, Atlatszo.hu, Hungary
András Pethő, co-founder and editor of Direkt36, Hungary
Sanita Jemberga, executive director and editor, Re:Baltica, Latvia
Tomáš Madleňák, reporter, Investigative center of Jan Kuciak, Slovakia
Karin Köváry Solymos, reporter, Investigative center of Jan Kuciak, Slovakia
Wojciech Cieśla, Investigate Europe, Reporters Foundation, Poland
Anna Gielewska, head of investigations and partnerships, VSquare.org, Reporters Foundation, Poland
Support financially independent media in Ukraine! You can donate here.
