The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) recently called for an inquiry into reports that Ukrainian military officials attempted to serve an investigative summons to Yevhen Shulhat, a journalist with the Ukrainian outlet Slidstvo.Info.
Reports from Slidstvo.Info allege that the incident was carried out by Ukraine’s Internal Security Service (SBU) as a response to Shulhat’s investigations into the real estate assets of Ilya Vityuk, the head of the cybersecurity department of the Security Service of Ukraine. Other local media outlets have supported these allegations.
On April 1, 2024, two officers from a local military recruitment office reportedly approached Shulhat in a supermarket, attempting to hand him a conscription notice. Shulhat began recording the encounter and questioning the officers about potential links to his investigation into Vityuk’s assets, causing the officers to leave. CCTV footage examined by Slidstvo.Info then revealed that the officers had been accompanied by a civilian, identified as an SBU representative, who pointed Shulhat out to them.
This incident has incited a strong response from Ukrainian organizations and media outlets, with a joint statement issued on April 7, calling on the President, Ministry of Defense, and SBU to initiate criminal proceedings against those responsible. Ukrainian authorities took heed, with the announcement of a criminal case for possible abuse of authority and obstruction of journalists’ professional activities on April 8.
Despite the considerable strides Ukraine has taken in promoting press freedom and media pluralism, the country continues to face significant challenges. The country currently ranks 79th out of 180 nations in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. Interestingly, intimidation and harassment of investigative journalists do not only come from external actors like Russia but also from within Ukraine itself. The International Press Institute has documented these instances, painting a clear picture of the difficulties Ukrainian journalists face.
Underscoring this is the situation involving Bihus.Info, a news organization whose staff members were secretly filmed consuming drugs at a party. This footage was then leaked, presumably to discredit the organization. In response to this revelation, the implicated employees were dismissed, and the SBU pledged to uphold press freedom; however, concerns regarding their earnest commitment to this principle remain.