Пълен протокол на разискванията

Вторник, 22 октомври 2024 г. - Страсбург

12. Защита на европейските журналисти, отразяващи агресивната война на Русия срещу Украйна (разискване)

  Presidente. – L'ordine del giorno reca in discussione la dichiarazione della Commissione sulla tutela dei giornalisti europei che coprono la guerra di aggressione della Russia contro l'Ucraina (2024/2895(RSP)).

  Wopke Hoekstra, Member of the Commission. – Madam President, honourable Members of the European Parliament, let me start with something that you unfortunately already know: Russia lacks any respect for media freedom inside its own country, and it also blatantly disrespects the protection of journalists in conflict zones. Inside the country, the space for media has dramatically shrunk since the start of the full‑scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. Many media outlets were forced to terminate their operations. The majority of independent journalists have left the country and many are actually being persecuted. And it is this appalling crackdown on independent media that has also spilled over to the frontline and the territories of Ukraine temporarily – temporarily! – occupied by Russia. And it is there that Russia harasses, intimidates and uses violence against journalists and media workers.

And this is exactly what you think it is: a clear attempt to silence them, in order to not let the world receive full and impartial information about what is actually going on. They are trying to prevent the exposure of Russian state‑sponsored disinformation about the war they wage in Ukraine. According to Reporters Without Borders, more than 100 journalists have been victims of Russian crimes since the beginning of the full‑scale invasion. That includes at least 35 wounded, 12 detained, as well as 233 media outlets closed in the territories occupied by Russia.

Ladies and gentlemen, the appalling case of last week's death of a Ukrainian freelance journalist, Victoria Roshchyna, while in illegal, arbitrary Russian detention, is yet another example of Russia's utter disregard for media freedom and international commitments. Victoria Roshchyna was a renowned Ukrainian journalist covering Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, and she was the recipient of the Courage in Journalism Award for her work, and was determined to bring the truth – the truth about Russia's brutal war of aggression and its illegal occupation of Ukraine – to the world. That is what she was doing. And according to the available information, Victoria died while being transferred to Moscow from a prison in Taganrog. And it is the Russian authorities, and no one else, who, by doing so, assumed full responsibility for her safety, for her health and physical integrity when they arbitrarily detained her in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in August 2023.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to make it worse: she is the 13th murdered journalist since the start of Russia's full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, and it is absolutely outrageous. Lately, the Russian Federal Security Service decided to initiate criminal cases against journalists covering Ukraine's counteroffensive operation in Kursk. And now, already 14 journalists are subject to such utterly ridiculous charges. It is again a clear attempt to intimidate journalists and to discourage them from performing their professional duties. We cannot allow that.

Honourable Members, the European Union's position is straightforward: journalists and media workers alike play an indispensable role in providing accurate and timely coverage from war zones, ensuring that information about the realities and impact of war can actually reach a global audience, including us. Journalists are considered civilians under international humanitarian law and should be actively protected in all conflict situations. The EU has and will condemn any form of Russia's ongoing harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists and media workers covering war zones and frontlines. For them, safety and protection must be ensured at all times. There can be no impunity, and I say that again: there can and will be no impunity for human rights violations and abuses against journalists.

  Isabel Wiseler-Lima, au nom du groupe PPE. – Madame la Présidente, Monsieur le Commissaire, merci pour vos paroles. Elle s’appelait Victoria Rochtchyna, elle avait 27 ans, elle était journaliste, elle était ukrainienne. Elle a disparu le 3 août, alors qu’elle se trouvait en Russie pour enquêter sur les frappes menées par l’armée russe contre l’Ukraine. Quelque 25 journalistes ukrainiens se trouvent aujourd’hui emprisonnés en Russie. Victoria Rochtchyna était elle aussi enfermée dans une prison russe. Et c’est là qu’elle est décédée.

Les journalistes indépendants à la recherche des faits sont particulièrement haïs des tyrans, car ils sont dangereux pour les régimes qui imposent une vision tronquée, mensongère de la réalité. Les journalistes sont des piliers de la démocratie. Ils éclairent les gens, relatent les faits, démystifient les mensonges et dénoncent la corruption et les abus de pouvoir. Le travail d’information – leur travail d’information – nous est indispensable.

Le gouvernement russe n’hésite pas à emprisonner des journalistes qui ne font que leur métier, honnêtement. D’ailleurs, tout comme d’autres simples civils ukrainiens, eux aussi sont nombreux à avoir disparu dans les geôles russes.

Je ne peux terminer cette intervention sans mentionner tous les enfants ukrainiens déportés en Russie. Il est grand temps que le monde occidental fasse bien plus pour aider l’Ukraine à gagner cette guerre.

Chère famille de Victoria, nous vous présentons nos très sincères condoléances et vous assurons que Victoria ne sera pas oubliée. Nous appelons à ce que les circonstances de son décès soient élucidées.

  Sandro Ruotolo, a nome del gruppo S&D. – Signora Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, come delegazione italiana del gruppo dei Socialisti e Democratici al Parlamento europeo, abbiamo sollecitato il dibattito sulla protezione dei giornalisti che raccontano la guerra in Ucraina.

La decisione del governo russo di emettere i mandati di cattura nei confronti di due giornalisti italiani, Stefania Battistini e Simone Traini, è gravissima: informare non è mai un crimine. I due, accusati di attraversamento illegale del confine e riprese non autorizzate, rischiano fino a cinque anni di reclusione. Queste accuse violano la convenzione di Ginevra, minando la libertà di stampa e la trasparenza. Non è un caso isolato: altri giornalisti stranieri si trovano nella stessa situazione. Questo è un chiaro tentativo di intimidazione che condanniamo con grande fermezza.

Quando i servizi segreti russi entrano in campo, occorre vigilare. La Russia ha intensificato la repressione del giornalismo indipendente, definendo i media europei e internazionali "agenti segreti". L'Europa deve farsi sentire, esprimendo solidarietà ai giornalisti nel mirino di Putin, ma anche con azioni concrete: dobbiamo pretendere la revoca dei mandati di arresto per questi giornalisti. Chi vi parla è uno dei 22 giornalisti minacciati che l'Italia protegge.

Voglio concludere facendo un appello a tutti i 27 Stati membri dell'Unione europea: proteggete i vostri giornalisti quando sono minacciati! La democrazia ha bisogno della libera informazione e quando muore un giornalista per il suo lavoro, non solo nei teatri di guerra ma anche nei Paesi cosiddetti "di pace", democratici, come in Europa, è un pezzo di democrazia che muore.

  Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal, en nombre del Grupo PfE. – Señora presidente, es urgente, sí, proteger a los periodistas que se juegan la vida cubriendo la guerra de agresión de Rusia contra Ucrania: las muertes y agresiones sufridas por periodistas en el frente son inadmisibles y este Parlamento debe exigir más protección para quienes arriesgan su vida por informarnos.

Tampoco puedo dejar de mencionar el caso del espía Pável Alekséyevich Rubtsov, alias Pablo González: durante años, la izquierda en este Parlamento se dedicó a defenderlo acusando a Polonia de retener a un inocente periodista; hoy sabemos la verdad: Pavel ha sido reconocido y condecorado por Putin, confirmándose que trabajaba para el Kremlin. Ahora, los que alzaban la voz contra el Gobierno del PiS en Polonia guardan un sospechoso silencio.

Pável, alias Pablo González, trabajaba en La Sexta, una cadena de televisión en España conocida por su apoyo incondicional a Pedro Sánchez y su blanqueamiento del golpismo separatista del 1 de octubre de 2017, un golpe en el que también estuvo implicada Rusia: nada de esto es una coincidencia.

Nuestros amigos del PiS han sido demonizados en esta Cámara, pero su Gobierno es el que más ha luchado contra la agresión rusa: merecen nuestro respeto, no nuestra crítica. Aprendamos a distinguir a nuestros verdaderos aliados en la defensa de la libertad y de la democracia.

  Małgorzata Gosiewska, w imieniu grupy ECR. – Pani Przewodnicząca! O tym, jak ważną i niebezpieczną pracę wykonują dziennikarze relacjonujący przebieg rosyjskiej wojny przeciwko Ukrainie, nie muszę Państwa przekonywać. Służą prawdzie i za prawdę przychodzi im ponosić wysoką cenę, czasami najwyższą. Chciałabym oddać szczególny hołd Wiktorii Roszczynie, 28-letniej ukraińskiej dziennikarce. Porwana i przetrzymywana przez Rosjan w jednym z najbrutalniejszych aresztów. Była na liście do wymiany. Nie doczekała. Na Ukrainie ruszyło śledztwo w sprawie zbrodni wojennej i morderstwa z premedytacją – kolejnej rosyjskiej zbrodni.

Nie uchronimy dziennikarzy przed takim ryzykiem, ale możemy utworzyć europejski fundusz, który zapewniłby stypendia i ubezpieczenie dla dziennikarzy pracujących na terenach objętych wojną oraz wsparcie dla ich rodzin. Ubezpieczenia w takich miejscach są często niedostępne albo bardzo kosztowne. Funduszem takim mogłyby zarządzać organizacje dziennikarskie z krajów przyfrontowych oraz z Ukrainy. Szanowni Państwo, powołajmy fundusz imienia Viktorii Roszczyny. To będzie konkret.

  Helmut Brandstätter, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, dear Commissioner, Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, said, 'If I had to choose between a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I would prefer the latter'.

Freedom of media is the basis of democracy. Putin, of course, kills democracy. But as we see these days, in his country, in Ukraine and in other countries, he kills human beings; he kills journalists. There is an incomplete list of more than 100 journalists who have been tortured or wounded or even killed. And why are they in Ukraine? Because they give us the possibility to understand what's happening there. They give us the possibility to learn the facts. As a lifelong journalist, I know that the most important job of a journalist is to report the facts so that the public can understand what's going on.

There are so many documentaries about what Putin and his soldiers are doing in Ukraine. We are very grateful to those wonderful journalists who told us these stories, and the sad story is that many of them were killed.

E io so, signora Presidente, che non si può mostrare un libro. Ma oggi io voglio mostrare alcune fotografie.

(The speaker showed photos of victims)

These are human beings. These are people we knew. These are people who worked for us. They are, of course, from Ukraine, but also from Russia. Oksana Baulina worked for Navalny and she was also killed because she wanted to show us the truth.

  Presidente. – Non è consentito mostrare le foto.

  Ville Niinistö, Verts/ALE-ryhmän puolesta. – Arvoisa puhemies, demokratia ja vapaa yhteiskunta kuolevat pimeydessä. Vahva, riippumaton media ja sananvapaus ovat demokratian ydintä, ja ne takaavat sen, että meidän arvojamme puolustetaan nyt ja tulevaisuudessa. Toimittajien on pystyttävä tekemään työnsä turvallisesti. Se on avoimen ja vapaan yhteiskunnan tiedonvälityksen pohja, ja sitä Putin myös syvästi pelkää.

Venäjän hyökkäykset niin Venäjällä kuin Ukrainan sotaan liittyen toimittajia ja median vapautta vastaan ovat tuomittavia. Venäjän turvallisuuspalvelu FSB on nostanut syytteitä kansainvälisiä toimittajia vastaan laittomasta maahantulosta. Toimittajat, muun muassa Deutsche Wellestä ja CNN:ältä, ovat ylittäneet Venäjän Ukrainan-rajan Sudzhassa Kurskin alueella Länsi-Venäjällä raportoidessaan sodasta. Jos toimittajat todetaan syyllisiksi, he voivat saada jopa viiden vuoden vankeusrangaistuksen. On ilmeistä, että syytteiden tarkoitus on hankaloittaa ja sensuroida sodasta raportoivien kansainvälisten toimittajien työtä, ja tämä on kansainvälisen oikeuden vastaista.

Mutta Venäjän toiminta mediaa vastaan ei rajoitu tähän. Venäjän toimien ilmiselvä tarkoitus on estää avoin raportointi sodasta ja Venäjän tekemistä sotarikoksista. Monet toimittajat, etenkin ukrainalaiset, ovat joutuneet vangituiksi tai jopa kuolleet Venäjän vankeudessa ja kiduttamina, kuten viime kuussa kuollut Viktoriya Roshchyna, joka urhoollisesti toi esille Itä-Ukrainassa Venäjän miehityksen alla tapahtuvan kärsimyksen tosiasioita.

Meidän Euroopassa on oltava tinkimättä vapaan median puolella. Meidän on pidettävä huoli siitä, että vapaa media ylläpitää demokratiaa ja toivoa paremmasta tulevaisuudesta niin Ukrainassa kuin laajemmin Euroopassa.

  Γιώργος Γεωργίου, εξ ονόματος της ομάδας The Left. – Κυρία Πρόεδρε, κύριε Επίτροπε, πολλοί δημοσιογράφοι σκοτώνονται άδικα στα πεδία των μαχών στην Ουκρανία αλλά και στη Γάζα, για την οποία δεν άκουσα λέξη βέβαια. Αυτούς τιμούμε σήμερα. Ακούσατε, όμως, τι μας είπε χτες η κυρία Metsola; Να μη μιλήσουμε, λέει, για την κατάσταση που επικρατεί στη Γάζα, γιατί τις τελευταίες μέρες δεν έχει συμβεί εκεί κάτι το δραματικό. Ντροπή. Δεν ακούει κανείς το κλάμα των παιδιών που σκοτώνονται από τις ισραηλινές βόμβες; Το κλάμα είναι το ίδιο είτε ακούγεται από την Ουκρανία είτε από τη Γάζα. Πώς μπορείτε να κοιμάστε τα βράδια;

Εμείς δεν θα γίνουμε μέρος αυτής της υποκρισίας και του παραλογισμού. Θα μιλάμε και για τα θύματα της Χαμάς και για τους δημοσιογράφους, όπου και να σκοτώνονται. Δεν θα μας φιμώσετε. Θα μιλάμε για τα 50 000 θύματα της ισραηλινής θηριωδίας, για την γενοκτονία του Νετανιάχου, για τα 16 000 νεκρά παιδιά της Παλαιστίνης, για την ισοπέδωση της Γάζας, που η ίδια η UNICEF λέει ότι έχει μετατραπεί σε ενσάρκωση της κόλασης επί της Γης. Κύριε Επίτροπε, θα μιλάμε για να μην ντρεπόμαστε στο μέλλον, όταν θα μιλήσει η πραγματική ιστορία.

  Petar Volgin, от името на групата ESN. – Уважаеми колеги, самото заглавие на тази дискусия е сбъркано, защото всички журналисти трябва да бъдат защитавани, а не само европейските. За жалост и в тази сфера се сблъскваме с крещящи двойни стандарти. Когато пострада някой журналист, подкрепящ Украйна, всички световни медии говорят за това, но когато същото се случи с критичен към Киев журналист, случаят тотално се неглижира.

Колко от вас са чували за чилийско-американския журналист Гонсало Лира? В началото на войната той живееше в Харков и беше арестуван, защото критикуваше правителството на Зеленски. На 12 януари тази година Лира почина в затвора от пневмония, както казаха властите. Руско-испанският журналист Пабло Гонсалес пък беше задържан в Полша, след като отразяваше преминаването на украински бежанци на полско-украинската граница и изкара близо три години в затвора. Руският военен кореспондент Владлен Татарски беше убит в центъра на Санкт Петербург с взривно устройство. По време на войната в Украйна са загинали над 30 руски журналисти, и украински журналисти са загинали. Десетки и стотици пострадаха и всички те трябва да бъдат помнени, и не трябва да бъдат разделяни на добри и лоши.

  Wopke Hoekstra, Member of the Commission. – Madam President, thank you, and thank you very much, dear Members. Our approach towards Russia will continue to be crystal clear. We support Ukraine for as long as is necessary. We will isolate Russia. We will impose sanctions to hinder Russia's war machine. We will stand up for human rights and we will stand up for the press, for our journalists. Today's debate highlights the vital role of journalists and the role they play in war zones, including and covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And thank you for bringing more of the names of the brave men and women who have been there and who have been reporting to this debate.

We will also continue to call Russia out for its violations of international law. And we did so most recently at the OSCE, regarding Russia's ongoing intimidation and ongoing harassment of journalists in war zones and frontlines. And it was the High Representative's spokesman who issued a public statement on the death of Victoria in Russian captivity on 11 October. In our view, it is absolutely essential that we have a thorough and independent investigation that fully clarifies all the circumstances of Victoria's death as soon as possible. And we will demand Russia to stop the abuse of its criminal system to intimidate journalists and other citizens by launching politically motivated criminal investigations against them.

In short, the European Union will remain steadfast in its commitment to protect media freedom and the safety of journalists, both at home and abroad.

  Presidente. – La discussione è chiusa.

La seduta è sospesa per alcuni minuti e riprenderà alle ore 15:00 con il tempo delle interrogazioni alla Commissione.

(La seduta è sospesa alle 14.49)

PRESIDENZA: PINA PICIERNO
Vicepresidente