Media: Poroshenko channel breaks law in a video about the UOC

An unidentified man denigrated the UOC on Channel 5. Photo: Channel 5's YouTube channel

Channel 5, which belongs to Petro Poroshenko, aired a story with unfounded accusations of the UOC community procuring food for the Russian army. The TV channel violated several articles of Ukrainian legislation as well as the code of journalistic ethics by broadcasting this video. Such conclusions were made by the participants in the “MediaCheck” journalist initiative and the report was published by the “Media Detector” website.

It is about a video in which an unknown person, using profanity, claims that allegedly in one of the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the Kolomyya District, food prepared for the Russian army was found. He then calls for attacks on UOC temples and worshippers. The video was released on 5 March 2022 and a complaint about it was filed with “MediaCheck” journalists on 8 March 2022.

The journalists noted that the plot refers to the Church of the Mother of God "Vsetsaritsa" in the village of Tseniava. The report also listed the norms violated by journalists of the Poroshenko channel. In particular, in the subheading to the video, the host of the channel limited himself to stating that "the defenders found the church with food prepared for the occupants". Neither the caption nor the video provided any evidence, nor did it say who the author of the video was, where and when it was published, or which church it was referring to. As stressed in the conclusions of “MediaCheck”, "there are no indications that the journalists tried to obtain comments from the rector of the church/monastery or its management, as well as from law-enforcement agencies".

Also, Channel 5 violated the Law on Television and Radio Broadcasting and the Code of Administrative Offences of Ukraine. Namely, Articles 6, 28, 59 and 60 of the Law oblige television and radio broadcasting organizations to disseminate only objective and reliable information, "to prevent cases of dissemination of information which violates rights and legal interests of citizens, humiliates their honour and dignity", prohibit inciting religious hatred and enmity and also use of rude words and expressions. Article 173 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code provides for responsibility for "petty hooliganism, i.e. foul language in public places".

“MediaCheck” has forwarded its findings to the National Television and Radio Broadcasting Council of Ukraine.

As reported, a full-scale campaign to smear the canonical Church is underway in the media. In March 2022, police documented a fake, which was spread by the media, about weapons in UOC churches in the Rivne region.

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