International rights organizations express support for journalists in Ukraine
* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - (From the anti-war protests in the Netherlands)
85 international rights and press freedom organizations from Turkey and around the world, including the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), the Coalition for Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) and PEN International, have released a joint statement to support journalists in Ukraine.
Amid Russia's invasion of the country since February 24, 2022, the organizations have said that they "stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, but particularly Ukrainian journalists who now find themselves at the frontlines of a large-scale European war."
'We condemn violence and aggression'
The organizations briefly added the following:
"We unilaterally condemn the violence and aggression that puts thousands of our colleagues all over Ukraine in grave danger.
"We call on the international community to provide any possible assistance to those who are taking on the brave role of reporting from the war zone that is now Ukraine.
"We condemn the physical violence, the cyberattacks, disinformation and all other weapons employed by the aggressor against the free and democratic Ukrainian press.
"We also stand in solidarity with independent Russian media who continue to report the truth in unprecedented conditions."
The undersigned rights and press freedoms organizations have also shared a link for those who want to join the statement of support for Ukraine.
The undersigned
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What happened?
Earlier on February 24, explosions were reported in several Ukrainian provinces, including the capital Kyiv, after Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in the Donbas region.
Tensions had started escalating late last year when Ukraine, the US and its allies accused Russia of amassing tens of thousands of troops on the border with Ukraine. They claimed Russia was preparing to invade its western neighbor, which was consistently rejected by Moscow.
Defying threats of sanctions by the West, Moscow officially recognized Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states earlier this week, followed by the start of a military operation in Ukraine on February 24.
President Vladimir Putin said the operation aims to protect people "subjected to genocide" by Kyiv and to "demilitarize and de-Nazify" Ukraine, while calling on the Ukrainian army to lay down its arms.
CLICK - bianet news on Russia's invasion of Ukraine
In the face of this invasion, protest demonstrations are held both on the streets and in front of the embassies of Russia in several countries such as the US, Mexico, Chile, Italy, Britain, Georgia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Spain, Germany, Lebanon, the Netherlands and Greece.
As reported by Novaya, 1,816 people were taken into custody during the anti-war protests in several cities in Russia a day after the invasion. (SD)