Media Accreditation at the Anti-terrorist Operation Headquarters in Donetsk and Luhansk regions
In order to assist the work of journalists on informing the public of events in the east of Ukraine, the SSU Press Center handles accreditation of media personnel at the Anti-terrorist Operation Headquarters in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
To apply for Media Accreditation, please send the Security Service of Ukraine a letter written on official letterhead of a media organization requesting accreditation of media personnel. The letter should include full name, title, contact phone numbers of the media personnel, duration of the assignment. The letter with an official stamp should be signed by an authorizing official. The letter should be enclosed with copies of applying journalists’ passports (pages 1-2) and their press cards.
In order to expedite accreditation, please send scanned electronic copies of the documents via email [email protected]
Contact phone numbers: (+38 044) 255-55-74; (+38 044) 279-30-40.
To the attention of media executives and personnel!
Pursuant to the Law of Ukraine On the Fight against Terrorism, in the anti-terrorist operation area contacts with media personnel are conducted by the Operation Headquarters Head or authorized persons.
Legal requirements of ATO participants are obligatory for citizens and officials.
It is forbidden to disseminate, through the media or through different way, information which:
Discloses special techniques and tactics of carrying out an anti-terrorist operation, includes data on the operation area;
Can complicate carrying out the anti-terrorist operation and (or) threaten the life and health of hostages and other people who stay in the ATO area or those outside of the area;
Intended for propaganda or justification of terrorism, contains appeals to commit acts of terrorism or statements of individuals, who resist or call for resistance of the anti-terrorist operation;
Contains data on items and substances which can be directly used to commit acts of technological terrorism;
Discloses data on task forces personnel and members of the Operation Headquarters, participating in the anti-terrorist operation, and on the individuals assisting the relevant operation (without their consent);
The recording at the territory of the camp is prohibited without the prior consent of the authorities.
The movement outside specified by the coordinator territory without the prior approval is extremely undesirable.
All actions of media personnel in the ATO area should be agreed with the press-group and the head of the Anti-terrorist Operation Headquarters;
International practice contains ethical standards of the professional activity for the journalists in circumstances of the antiterrorist operation. Journalists, covering the activity of the competent counterterrorism authorities, are usually recommended:
Not to interview offenders and not to broadcast them without the prior authorization of the Anti-terrorist Operation Headquarters Head;
To forward immediately to the Operation Headquarters obtained data, which can help to save people in the course of the anti-terrorist operation;
To abstain from disclosure of hostages’ personal details for their safety till the end of the anti-terrorist operation;
To avoid comments which can provoke offenders to commit further illegal actions;
To avoid descriptions of victims’ state, their life details;
Not to spread the information, promoting violence, terrorism, race hatred;
To respect national and religious feelings of the citizens.
Media executives assigning their personnel in the area of the anti-terrorist operation should be aware of potential risks.
Journalists working in the flashpoints should:
Be cautious;
Carry:
individual protection equipment (armor vest, helmet)
two cellphones, a recharger, and if possible, radiosets
a first-aid kit or medical wallet and know how to use it
Know by heart phone numbers of the ATO Headquarters Press Group and their editorial offices;
Find their bearings on the ground and know routes in locations of footage, whereabouts of emergency and medical services;
Avoid undue risks for life and health and should not endanger others.
http://www.ssu.gov.ua/sbu/control/en/publish/article?art_id=128639&cat_id=128638