The low level of legal protection of journalists during the execution of their duties is well known. Despite the provisions declared by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine on the protection of freedom of speech, journalism continues to be one of the most dangerous.

In the pre-electoral period the work of journalist is the most difficult. Experience from previous election campaigns shows that during the election, substantially increases both from the administrative authority and the representatives of the candidates, political parties and electoral blocks. At another point, the permanent changes to the electoral legislation and the overall low level of legal knowledge of the media often lead to violations of the legislation of the media themselves.

In order to protect the rights of journalists during the preparation and conduct of parliamentary elections in 2012, their legal education, the experts of the Foundation for regional initiatives and its partners – the All-Ukrainian human rights centre “Civil defender” as well as International organization “Internews-Ukraine” have begun the preparation of publications:

1)     “Methodical explanation concerning the application of the election legislation clauses regulating the activity of mass media during the election”;

2)     “How to avoid the judicial claims of mass media during the election”.

We invite human rights activists, journalists, civil activists, who have relevant experience in the work from the previous electoral campaigns, to join the initiative and to establish and to develop together the effective mechanisms to counter with the pressure on journalists during the elections.

Please send your suggestions and comments to: r@fri.org.ua

The proposition presented by the Head of the supervisory council of the Foundation for regional initiatives Serhiy Rudyk to carry out the parallel calculation of the voted during the elections to the Supreme Council of Ukraine in 2012 has been supported by the representatives of the political parties of the United Opposition.

In order that the elections results were not be able to falsify and the citizens’ expression of will was not misrepresented we should solve the main problem – prevent fraud in the final stage of the elections. We can avoid it by conducting a parallel vote count.

At the next meeting of the Committee of resistance to dictatorship (RCD) the corresponding initiative will be strengthened by the Agreement on the overall participation of the United Opposition in the promotion of civilian control of the counting of votes during the elections to the Supreme Council of Ukraine in 2012.

For the first time at a national level the parallel count of the votes in Ukraine has been brought into action during the elections of the President of Ukraine in 1999. The initiators of such count, more known as “Civil control” were: Foundation for regional initiatives and 12 out of 15 candidates for presidency. During the 1^st tour of the elections one day before the Central Election Commission there were made ​​public the results of votes of more than 60% of voters.