With the beginning of a full-scale invasion, the Verkhovna Rada closed journalists’ access to its meetings and even on the sidelines. While meetings of almost all committees began to be held online, without the involvement of experts from civil society organizations. However, two years after the beginning of the invasion, the closed mode of operation of the Verkhovna Rada raises many questions, so the public demands that journalists have access to parliament again, according to a corresponding statement published on the website of the ZMINA Center for Human Rights.
The signatories recalled that after February 24, access to information on the website of the Rada and its committees also became limited. Currently, some of the information has been revealed, but journalists and the public are still not allowed into the Rada meeting.
“In 2022, the introduction of restrictions could be explained by the interests of national security and the need for security of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. However, the work of parliament behind closed doors in 2024, after almost two years since the beginning of the large-scale invasion and ten years since the beginning of the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine, raises many questions. The lack of access for journalists to the Verkhovna Rada harms democracy,” the statement said..
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The signatories noted that there is no point in talking about the danger from the presence of media in the Verkhovna Rada hall when the people’s deputies themselves broadcast live broadcasts of meetings on their social networks. In addition, the statement says, the parliament itself is too large a structure in terms of the number of people involved for its meetings to take place unnoticed.
“Therefore, instead of continuing to prevent journalists from entering the parliament building, security measures should be discussed, for example, the preparation of shelters. Admission of journalists to the building of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, advance publication of the list of bills planned for consideration will provide Ukrainians with socially important information,” the signatories believe.
The statement also emphasized that it is important for representatives of civil society to be allowed to attend meetings of Verkhovna Rada committees.. They should also be able to express positions on registered bills and initiatives to be developed.
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“A sign of the preservation of democracy, despite the war, will be the return to the public of the opportunity to communicate with people’s deputies in an understandable and transparent way. The media should have the opportunity to inform society about what issues are being considered by the country’s single legislative body, what arguments are heard during the discussion. The openness of parliament presupposes the availability of information about its procedures to the public, as well as the creation of conditions for full communication of people’s deputies of Ukraine with Ukrainian society,” the statement says..
The signatories called on the Verkhovna Rada to return to ensuring the principles of openness in its activities, namely:.
provide the opportunity for journalists to attend meetings of the Verkhovna Rada and communicate with people’s deputies of Ukraine on the sidelines of parliament;
publish the agendas of parliamentary meetings in advance;
promote and support the involvement of civil society organizations in meetings of committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
“The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine should once again become a place for discussions, for free communication and media work, for finding solutions to the complex challenges facing the Ukrainian State as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. In the context of ensuring security measures, such openness of parliament will increase public confidence in its activities and will contribute to the active cooperation of civil society organizations and people’s deputies,” the statement says..
The statement was signed by:.
Human Rights Center ZMINA.
Institute of Mass Information.
Media movement.
NGO "
NGO "
Charitable Foundation "
Public holding "
Media Initiative for Human Rights.
BU CF "
College of Lawyers for Maritime Law of Ukraine.
All-Ukrainian Association "
GO Kyiv Educational Center “Space of Tolerance”.
GO Center "
Gornaya Daria, journalist, author of the channel “Face of Independence” “Donbass News”.
Center for Civil Liberties.
Ukrinform.
NGO "
Foundation Society.
Ukrainian Independent Center for Political Research.
Philip Orlik Institute for Democracy.
OO UKRAINEPRIDE.
Civic network OPORA.
Edition "
International Society for Human Rights – Ukrainian Section.
Educational House of Human Rights – Chernihiv.
NGO "
NGO "
NGO "
NGO "
"
NGO "
Evgeny Spirin, journalist, presenter.
GO Expert Group "
NGO "
NGO "
Crimean Human Rights Group.
NGO "
NGO "
NGO "
NGO "
NGO Human Rights Association “Right Cause”.
National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
Commission on Journalism Ethics (JEC).
Institute of Democracy named after. Philip Orlik.
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Let us recall that according to the results of a sociological survey conducted by the Ilk Kucheriv Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and the sociological service of the Razumkov Center commissioned by the HONEST Movement, 47.6% of the study participants completely agreed that journalists in today’s conditions should be present at Verkhovna Rada meetings. Another 17.9% rather support this statement. Only 5.7% of Ukrainians surveyed are completely against allowing the media to such meetings of people’s deputies. Approximately the same number, 5.5%, are rather against it.