Verkhovna Rada is called to allow journalists to attend sessions and lobby
On the opening day of the 11th session of the Verkhovna Rada, human rights non-governmental organizations, media and journalists called on the parliament to become more open to the media and society, and to strengthen security measures, including the preparation of a shelter.
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the Institute of Mass Information.
The authors of the statement call on the parliament to return to ensuring the principles of openness of its activities, namely:
- ensure that journalists can be present during the sessions of the Verkhovna Rada and communicate with people's deputies on the lobbies of the Parliament;
- publish the agendas of the Verkhovna Rada meetings in advance;
- to facilitate and support the involvement of civil society organizations in the meetings of the Verkhovna Rada committees.
"The admission of journalists to the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the advance publication of the list of draft laws to be considered will provide Ukrainians with socially important information. It is equally important that civil society representatives have the opportunity to join meetings of parliamentary committees, express their positions on registered bills and initiatives to be developed," the statement reads.
Subject to security measures, such openness of the parliament, the applicants believe, will increase public confidence in its activities and promote active cooperation between civil society organizations and people's deputies.
The authors of the statement note that in 2022, the restrictions could be explained by national security interests due to the large-scale invasion of Russia and the need for security of the Verkhovna Rada. However, the work of the parliament in closed mode in 2024, after almost two years since the beginning of the large-scale invasion and ten years since the beginning of the Russian war against Ukraine, raises many questions.
"The lack of access to the Verkhovna Rada for journalists is harmful to democracy. What's the point of talking about the danger of media presence in the parliamentary hall when the public learns about the progress and results of consideration of bills from people's deputies' live broadcasts on social media? Moreover, the Parliament is too large in terms of the number of people involved for its meetings to go unnoticed. Therefore, instead of continuing the current situation of preventing journalists from entering the parliament building, it is worth discussing security measures, such as the preparation of shelters," the authors of the statement believe.
The applicants note that a sign of the preservation of democracy, despite the war, will be the return of the public's ability to communicate with MPs in a clear and transparent way.
"The media should have the opportunity to inform the public about the issues being considered by the country's only legislative body and the arguments being raised during the discussion. The openness of the parliament implies the availability of information about its procedures to the public, as well as the creation of conditions for full communication between people's deputies of Ukraine and Ukrainian society," the statement reads.
The statement was signed:
ZMINA Human Rights Center
Institute of Mass Information
Media Movement
NGO "CRIMSOS"
NGO "Donbass SOS"
CHARITABLE FOUNDATION "EAST-SOS"
Public holding "GROUP OF INFLUENCE"
Media Initiative for Human Rights
Charitable organization "Stabilization Support Services"
College of Maritime Lawyers of Ukraine
All-Ukrainian Association "Automaidan"
NGO "Kyiv Educational Center "Space of Tolerance"
NGO "Center "Social Action"
Daria Hirna, journalist, author of the channel "Faces of Independence"
"News of Donbass"
Center for Civil Liberties
Ukrinform
NGO "Women in Media"
Souspilnist Foundation
Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research
Center of Policy and Legal Reform
Pylyp Orlyk Institute for Democracy
Civil Network OPORA
The publication "Hraty"
International Society for Human Rights - Ukrainian Section
Educational Human Rights House - Chernihiv
NGO "Crimean Process"
NGO "Institute for Peace and Understanding"
NGO "Truth Hounds"
NGO "Helsinki Initiative - XXI"
"Espresso"
NGO "Almenda Center for Civic Education"
Yevhen Spirin, journalist, presenter
NGO "Expert group "Sova"
CSO "Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center"
CSO "Hromadske Radio"
Crimean human rights group
CSO "Human Rights Platform"
CSO "Detector Media"
CSO "Association of relatives of political prisoners of the Kremlin"
CSO "Incubator of democratic initiatives"
NGO "Human Rights Association "PRAVE DILO"
National Union of Journalists of Ukraine
Commission on Journalistic Ethics (CJE)
Pylyp Orlyk Institute for Democracy
Bihus.info
Hromadske.ua
Dmytro Tuzov, Radio NV
Yana Brenzei, "Window News"
Roman Kulchynskyi, "Texty"
Natalia Sokolenko, Ukrainian Radio
Vadym Karpiak, ICTV
Bohdana Neborak, The Ukrainians
Liudmylka Tiahnyriadno, Ukrainian Radio
Bohdan Lohvynenko, The Ukraїner
Yevhenia Motorevska, Head of War Crimes Investigations, The Kyiv Independent
Myroslava Barchuk, Suspilne
Anton Skyba, producer at The Globe and Mail
Anastasia Bakulina, "Svidomi"
Azad Safarov, producer at Sky News, co-founder of Children's Voices
Anna Babinets, Slidstvo.info
Nastia Stanko, Slidstvo.info
