In Ukraine, private detectives disguised as journalists
In Ukraine, a detective agency operates under the guise of a journalistic investigation agency.
This is stated in the statement of the NGO “Commission on Journalistic Ethics” transmitted by UNIAN.
“Recently, attempts have been resumed under the guise of the editors of the media or the agencies of journalistic investigations to organize commercial enterprises whose activities are incompatible with the goals of honest journalism.
For example, the website of one of the “investigative journalism agencies”, which is registered with the status of an information agency, appeared on the Internet. The marked site contains advertisements on the commercial recruitment and training of those who wish to become journalists, the provision of journalistic certificates to such persons, and the conduct of investigative journalism upon order. However, from the details that became known to members of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, it can be concluded that, under the guise of a journalistic investigation agency, its founders organized a private detective agency. So, clients were offered services such as the fact of adultery, tracking certain individuals and establishing their contacts, collecting information about individuals, external monitoring, covert surveillance, including abroad and other “confidential services,” the statement said.
According to the members of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, such activities are incompatible with the work of the media, discrediting journalism and endangering those colleagues who are actually involved in journalistic investigations on the instructions of the editorial staff, in order to establish the truth and inform the public.
The Journalistic Ethics Commission notes that the legislation of Ukraine does not currently regulate the activities of detective agencies. “Using the status of an information agency or other media can be a legal cover for a detective agency, especially since journalistic organizations are constantly fighting for the rights of journalists to freely receive and disseminate information,” the document says.
In this regard, members of the commission are outraged by any attempts by commercial structures to organize enterprises under the guise of the media, whose activities can significantly harm the rights of journalists and lead to legislative restrictions on the freedoms of media workers. The Commission notes the inadmissibility of the provision of journalistic certificates to persons who are not engaged in journalistic activities, as defined by the laws of Ukraine or reputable journalistic organizations.
The statement recalls that the Commission on Journalistic Ethics, the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine repeatedly appealed to media editors with a request not to provide journalistic certificates to persons who are not journalists. “For example, before, hundreds of editorial offices provided journalistic certificates to individuals who actually performed the functions of observers from political parties or individual participants in the election race,” the statement said.
“Any abuse of the rights and status of a journalist is unacceptable. We demand from the aforementioned “agency of journalistic investigations” to immediately stop engaging in detective activities or to change their legal status, refuse to use references to journalistic activities in the name, and stop issuing journalistic certificates to those who work as private detectives.
In case of neglect of our requirements, we reserve the right to apply to the law enforcement bodies and the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, ”the Commission on Journalistic Ethics notes.
Source: news from 08/10/2011 unian.net
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