The IPI global network today condemns the tit-for-tat blocking by authorities in Ukraine and Hungary of news websites and calls on both countries to review and reverse these decisions.
On September 8, Ukrainian authorities announced they had blocked access within Ukrainian territory to Hungarian media websites which they claimed spread “pro-Russian propaganda”. The blocked media were Origo, Demokrata, News Front, Bal Rad, Hirlistazo, Vdtablog, Szilaj Csiko and Pravda Magyarorszag, all of which are seen as having a pro-government editorial line.
Ukrainian authorities claimed, without providing clear evidence, that the censored media had spread “fake news on the ‘successes’ of the Russian army, accusations that Ukraine is involved in ‘terrorism’, as well as anti-western rhetoric”. It was not clear which outlets published what information and what materials were considered to be “pro-Russian propaganda”.
The regulatory measure was made under Ukrainian martial law, which grants authorities wide-reaching war-time powers to block websites it accuses of spreading pro-Russian propaganda. These orders can be made without a court order or official regulatory process.
On September 29, the Hungarian government then retaliated by blocking access within Hungary to the websites of several major Ukrainian media, including respected outlets such as Ukrainska Pravda, Hromadske, European Pravda, NV, TSN and Lb.ua.
These media are independent and provide a vital source of Ukrainian-language news for audiences inside Hungary. Several smaller outlets from Ukraine’s Zakarpattya region, which borders Hungary, and which is home to Ukraine’s Hungarian ethnic minority, were also blocked.
In its announcement, a representative of the Hungarian government said that the bans were a measure of “reciprocity”. The Hungarian government also did not explain how it selected the Ukrainian media that were banned or what procedure was used to adopt the internet block. No credible justification was provided for the decision.
IPI condemns the disproportionate censorship measures imposed on media outlets by both Ukrainian and Hungarian authorities and calls for their reversal. Such actions, taken without proper democratic regulatory procedures, are harmful to the wider media environment and set a worrying precedent.
Limitations on media activity can only be imposed in exceptional situations and can only be adopted through a transparent and legal regulatory process, following clear principles of objectivity, proportionality and non-discrimination. Neither the decision by the Ukrainian authorities nor that of the Hungarian government met these requirements.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has ensured the continued functioning of the country’s independent media, all while introducing certain restrictions related to martial law. Hundreds of Ukrainian, Russian and other international websites have been blocked for spreading pro-Russian propaganda.