““Currently, freedom of the press in Ukraine is under threat.””, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Every year on September 16, my heart sinks with pain. This date is forever associated with the day of the disappearance and murder of my father, journalist Georgy Gongadze, in Kyiv. I miss the father I never knew and the dedicated journalist Ukraine had only for a moment. But this year, as in previous years, I also mourn the talented journalists we lost in the years after his death.
The war took the lives of dozens of journalists. But our pain reminds us why a free press is such a value for us. War forces us to make sacrifices, but in return we deserve truth and responsibility.
Journalists are the ones who reveal the truth to us amid the chaos of war. This work must be remembered, protected and respected. We must support those who are now telling the history of Ukraine, honor the memory of the dead and stop the threats to press freedom that arise inside Ukraine.
Since the dark day of the death of Heorhiy Gongadze, freedom of the press in Ukraine has significantly strengthened. Independent journalism has evolved, supported by a society that craves the truth about the deepest crisis of its life. Foreign interest is also growing — Western media that once ignored Ukraine or covered it through a Moscow lens are now opening bureaus in Kyiv. Not everything that is written is correct or insightful, but for the most part, journalists from all over the world are doing a great job reporting the tragedies and incredible resilience of Ukrainians during the war, often risking their lives.
Last week we were all struck by the tragic loss of one of those bright voices that told our stories to the world. British journalist David Knowles of The Telegraph newspaper died on September 8 at the age of 32, presumably from a heart attack. His dedicated and compassionate coverage of Ukraine on the podcast he co-founded, Ukraine: The Latest, touched thousands of people, especially in the West. The show provided listeners with invaluable daily updates on the war and featured interviews with government, charity and cultural leaders, many of which were hosted by David himself.
These interviews revealed to the world the suffering of Ukrainians and the dedication of those who are trying to save them. The stories David told strengthened support for Ukraine abroad, inspiring donations and persuading politicians to make decisions in its favor. In my work as a lawyer for Ukraine in the United States, I have seen firsthand how the power of journalism can change the narrative and bring world leaders to our side. This is made possible by free media in the West.
Ukraine should strive for the same powerful free press. And many are working on it. But now press freedom in Ukraine is under threat. Reporters Without Borders lowered Ukraine’s rating in the field of press freedom in 2024 to 61st place, compared to 79th in 2023 (the higher the rating, the greater the freedom of the press). The organization says that “pressure on independent media in Ukraine is increasing” and points to cases of surveillance of journalists, threats of mobilization and attempts at control, along with constant physical threats from Russian attacks.
The brutality of this war forced journalists, both in Ukraine and abroad, to go to the front and risk their lives to show the world what is really happening here, as my father once did, exposing the corruption of the Kuchma regime at the turn of the century. His body rests in Kyiv together with other heroes who wrote the history of Ukraine with their blood. But he lives on in our memories and as an inspiration, just like David and so many others in his profession that we have lost. We must honor their sacrifices by scrutinizing and strengthening press freedom.
Nana Gongadzemember of the Supervisory Board of the Gongadze Award