World’s largest journalist organization slams Ukraine over restrictive media law

A controversial media law enacted in Ukraine last month could create “systemic problems for democracy” by greatly expanding government control over press freedom, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) stressed in a damning statement on Thursday.

“We are extremely concerned about the authoritarian drift of the Ukrainian government towards the media and journalists,” IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said.

Established in 1926 and currently the world’s largest organization of journalists, the IFJ says it represents media professionals “within the United Nations system and within the international trade union movement.”