This opinion was expressed in a comment to Ukrinform by Svitlana Ostapa, a member of the Commission on Journalistic Ethics and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Media Detector.
«The Commission on Ethical Journalism has already addressed a similar issue in a statement regarding Gordon’s interview with Poklonskaya and Girkin. In it, we made it clear that journalists have the right to interview, especially even war criminals, because these interviews may contain socially important information. But at the same time, journalists and the media must maintain control over the interviews, ”Ostapa stressed.
She added that if someone believes that the Code of Ethics of a Ukrainian journalist has been violated in the program, he can apply to the Commission on Journalistic Ethics.
«We will definitely consider the appeal and say whether there were violations or not. At the same time, we are against the commission being involved in any political clashes, ”the media expert said.
Ostapa reminded that in a statement by the Council of Europe on the publication of Dmytro Gordon’s interviews with Natalia Poklonska and Ihor Hirkin, it was stated: condemns a significant part or most of the audience. Sometimes such people are the only source of socially important information that justifies the need to talk to them. However, in such cases, journalists and newsrooms must maintain control over the messages that are heard in the interview, pay attention to ethical issues that arise when providing a platform for such persons.
As reported, on July 10, a guest of the talk show «Important. Results ”on the NASH TV channel was Mykola Azarov, the Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2010–2014. The program was, in particular, about the released films of alleged conversations between Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin.
