The Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB) has opened a criminal case against journalist Diana Butsko for “illegal border crossing.” She announced this on her Facebook page: “In our work at hromadske.ua, we have always adhered to the principles of journalistic ethics and will continue to report on the war impartially but honestly. I understand that this perspective is not to the liking of Russian security forces and their bots, who have sent numerous threats in recent days.”
Earlier, Diana Butsko had filmed a report from Sudzha, a town in the Kursk region, which had been captured by the Ukrainian army.
Additionally, the FSB has opened criminal cases against CNN journalist Nick Paton Walsh and Ukrainian correspondent for “We-Ukraine” Olesya Borovyk. This was reported by the Russian media “Meduza.”
The Commission on Journalistic Ethics had previously mentioned this possibility in its Recommendations on Covering Events Related to the Military Actions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Territory of the Russian Federation.
“Journalists should remember that, according to Russian law, illegal border crossing can lead to prosecution in that country, and their actions may be treated as a criminal offense, which could have consequences if they visit the aggressor country or its allied states,” the memo states.
Diana Butsko herself commented to “Women in Media” that this case would not affect their work. “We will continue to cover the situation on the front lines, wherever it may be. We will also continue to report on human rights violations committed by the Russian Federation, both against Ukrainians and its own citizens,” the journalist noted.
According to a study published by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), nearly three-quarters (73%) of 714 international female journalists surveyed at the end of 2020 reported experiencing online violence during their work. Even more concerning, 20% of them indicated that they had been subjected to physical attacks and abuse in real life, which they believed were provoked by online activities.
Unfortunately, in Ukraine, the issue of online violence against female journalists is insufficiently studied, both at the level of law enforcement agencies and within editorial teams, as well as by the women themselves. Therefore, the NGO “Women in Media” is conducting a survey on “Online Violence Against Female Journalists in Ukraine” until August 31.