Freedom of the press in Ukraine

Ukraine was in 96th place^[1] out of 180 countries listed in the 2020 World Press Freedom Index, having returned to top 100 of this list for the first time since 2009, but dropped down one spot to 97th place in 2021, being characterized as being in a "difficult situation".

Press freedom scores had significantly improved since the Orange Revolution of 2004.^[2]^[3]^[4] However, in 2010 and again in 2011 Freedom House perceived "negative trends in Ukraine" with government-critical opposition media outlets being closed.^[5]

According to the Freedom House, The Ukrainian legal framework on media freedom used to be "among the most progressive in eastern Europe", although implementation has been uneven.^[6] The Constitution of Ukraine and a 1991 law provide for freedom of speech.^[7]

Many Ukrainian journalists found themselves internally displaced due to the Russian annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas, including Donetsk-based investigative journalist Oleksiy Matsuka, Luhansk blogger Serhiy Ivanov and Donetsk Ostrov independent website editor Serhiy Harmash. The entire staff of Ostrov left the occupied Donbas areas and relocated to Kyiv.^[6]

^ Ukraine returns to top 100 of World Press Freedom Index Archived 4 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrinform (21 April 2020)
^ Freedom of the Press 2007: A Global Survey of Media Independence Archived 21 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine by Freedom House, Rowman & Littlefield, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7425-5582-2 (page 11/12)
^ Cite error: The named reference organge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference USDoS2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Report Says Decline In Freedom Continues Across Former Soviet Union Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (13 January 2011)
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference FH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ 1999 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Ukraine Archived 9 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine, US Department of State (23 February 2000)

[ukrinform3009996-1] Ukraine returns to top 100 of World Press Freedom Index Archived 4 May 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrinform (21 April 2020)

[FHouse2007-2] Freedom of the Press 2007: A Global Survey of Media Independence Archived 21 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine by Freedom House, Rowman & Littlefield, 2007, ISBN 978-0-7425-5582-2 (page 11/12)

[organge-3] Cite error: The named reference organge was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[USDoS2007-4] Cite error: The named reference USDoS2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[negative_trends_2010-5] Report Says Decline In Freedom Continues Across Former Soviet Union Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (13 January 2011)

[FH-6] Cite error: The named reference FH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[USDoS1999-7] 1999 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Ukraine Archived 9 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine, US Department of State (23 February 2000)

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