Civic Movement against Censorship in the Donetsk regional
At a conference in Donetsk on obstruction of journalists’ professional activities, members of the local media, civic organizations and well-known figures, discussed the situation with freedom of speech in the Donbas area. Of particular concern were the following:
attempts to put pressure and unwarranted checks by the tax authorities on independent media outlets; attempts to interfere in editorial policy;
systematic failure by central authorities and bodies of local self-government to respond to information requests;
limited access by free media outlets to press conferences given by the heads of the Luhansk and Donetsk regional administrations and in some bodies of local self-government through non-transparent and selective mechanisms of accreditation.
In response to these challenges the participants decided to create a civic movement “Donbas without Censorship”. A number of organizations are involved, including the Luhansk regional branch of OPORA, the Agency for the Democratic Development of Donbas, and others.
The movement’s first step was to write an appeal to President Yanukovych regarding the situation with freedom of speech in Donbas and organize collection of signatures to a petition “For Donbas without Censorship”.