Ukrainian media organisations strongly condemn pressure and threats against journalists of Texty
Ukrainian journalists and media organisations, participants of the Media Movement said in their statement that they are shocked and categorically condemn the pressure, slander, and threats received by independent Ukrainian media Texty (texty.org.ua).
On June 6, Texty published a study titled “American Swings: From Trumpists to Communists, Who and How Advocates for Halting Aid to Ukraine.” The study analysed the political, media, and expert environment in the United States, which influences decision-making about further support for Ukraine in the Russian-Ukrainian war. The study contains a list of organisations and individuals in the U.S. who oppose supporting Ukraine.
Texty did not condemn their right to freedom of expression but merely stated the fact that they are against supporting Ukraine and that many of their arguments resonate with Russian propaganda narratives about Ukraine.
Following the publication of the study, Texty faced a massive wave of hate, threats, calls to cut off their funding, and various other forms of pressure. The authors of the statement pointed out that all this intense pressure on the Ukrainian independent media comes from representatives and supporters of the Republican Party of the US, who ought to defend freedom of speech as a fundamental component of democracy and be an example for other countries.
Take Daniel McAdams, Director of the Ron Paul Institute, for instance, who claimed that the Ukrainian media “funded by the U.S. government” created a “hate list of American citizens”, which is simply untrue. His posting was actively disseminated by conservative outlets, and far-right and far-left American activists, who started attacking Texty’s editorial board and the authors of the article on social media, including threatening them with violence.
Furthermore, Ukrainian media organisations noted that the congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene called the Texty publication a “list of enemies” and falsely claimed that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy was behind it.
“We, Ukrainian journalists, confirm the reputation of Texty as an entirely independent publication and reject this accusation,” the statement’s authors said.
Senator J. D. Vance and U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz called on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to send them information about Texty by June 28. They also appealed to the House Appropriations Committee to cease support for Texty. The Media Movement considers this step direct pressure on freedom of speech and independent media.
The committee passed the resolution on Tuesday, June 11. The movement stresses that Texty does not receive direct funding from the American budget but only via aid agencies that have independent financial policies, and attacks performed in this way are yet another undemocratic practice.
Elon Musk, who was also mentioned in the Texty study, responded by calling for the media to be deprived of any donor support and urged to include Texty in the list of terrorist organisations.
Thousands of comments with threats of violence and hatred against Texty are spreading on social media platform X.
The statement’s authors highlighted in their document that a coordinated attack on independent media undermines the core principles of a democratic society. If someone disagrees with journalists’ materials, they should express their point of view, refute, or dispute them, but neither threaten journalists with violence, nor call to include them in terrorist lists, nor exert financial pressure to silence them.
They called on the U.S. Congress:
- To cease the pressure on Texty and not to exploit Ukrainian media for internal American political competition in the run-up to the upcoming elections in the USA.
- To demonstrate that they truly support the principles of freedom of speech and preparedness to defend independent media by reversing decisions that could limit the freedom of expression of the independent Ukrainian press.
- To conduct their own investigation and determine whether the facts outlined in the Texty publication do demonstrate the dissemination of narratives consistent with aggressive Kremlin propaganda in the United States.
The spread of false information and aggressive propaganda are two of the ways the Russian Federation attacks Ukraine and the Western countries that help counter Russian aggression.
We call on the free, democratic society of the United States for the affirmative support of the independent journalism that sheds light on ways Russia conducts its information warfare against democracy worldwide, including in the USA. Millions of Ukrainians have fallen victim to aggressive Russian propaganda and genocidal rhetoric, including direct calls for the destruction of our cities and murder of our citizens. At this critical time for our country, we highly appreciate the support of the government and the people of the USA, who provide Ukraine with financial and military assistance, because protecting truth and democratic values is our common goal.
The Media Movement also calls on international organisations, governments, and civil society to strengthen support for Ukraine in its fight for independence. Our joint struggle against tyranny and authoritarianism should serve as an example for the entire world.
By way of background, the Media Movement is a community that has united journalists from leading Ukrainian media, investigative journalists and experts from independent media organisations. Media Movement was launched on February 5, 2019.
The Media Movement Memorandum was first signed by Suspilne, Ukrainian Radio, Hromadske Radio, Ukrinform, Interfax-Ukraine, Liga.net, ZN.ua, NV, Censor.net, Ukrayinska Pravda, and many other leading Ukrainian media. The movement also includes leading Ukrainian media NGOs, such as the IMI, Detector Media, Independent Media Council, Internews Ukraine, National Media Association, Center for Democracy and the Rule of Law, Suspilnist Foundation, Donetsk Institute of Information, Pylyp Orlyk Institute of Democracy and ZMINA Center for Human Rights.
Other organisations and journalists joined later, and now the movement numbers over 70 members. On November 16, 2021, top media outlets called on journalists to unite within the professional community Media Movement to resist political and commercial pressure on freedom of speech. The statement was initiated by 29 journalists and experts whose names are available here.
