Newspaper risks ‘alienating’ admirers
Dear Editor,
As an admirer and regular reader of the Kyiv Post, I have to say I think you are shooting yourselves in the foot over this [decision to ban United Kingdom traffic to the newspaper’s website].
Such bans invariably stifle freedom of speech – the very thing, you contend, you are concerned about.
As I understand it, such libel laws in the United Kingdom are under active review by the government and both leading politicians and media organizations have voiced their concerns.
By implementing such a ban on web traffic from the U.K., the Kyiv Post runs the risk of alienating its admirers and achieving little or nothing in return – far better for the Kyiv Post, along with other media outlets, to actively campaign for contentious libel laws in the U.K. to be rescinded.
With this in mind, it is important that its voice is heard. A ban does nothing to enhance this.
Quite the opposite. In my view, you have made a mistake and the best course of action is to immediately recognise it, win respect by acknowledging the fact and then proactively campaign for the judicious amendment of all such laws that curtail freedom of speech, wherever in the world they may be, (and there are plenty of candidates).
Kind regards,
Steven J. Hutchings
Editor, Sidmouth Herald
Exeter, United Kingdom
Why deny readers access to ‘excellent’ coverage?
Dear Editor,
While I am entirely sympathetic to your objections to the abuse of United Kingdom libel law by libel tourists, I am not convinced that this [blocking Kyiv Post access to the U.K.] is the best way to highlight the issue, or to drum up support for U.K. libel law reform.
You might consider, instead, directing readers in the first instance to your note of protest, including the link to libelreform.org, and then allowing them to click through to kyivpost.com.
Otherwise, all you are doing is denying readers who happen to be based in the U.K. – whether they are British or not – of access to your excellent coverage of Ukrainian news.
Best regards,
Franklin Steves
Political Counsellor
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
London, England
‘Please remove ban;’ Kyiv Post needed in U.K.
Dear Editor,
Please remove the ban on access to the Kyiv Post from the United Kingdom. It is the way that many people who work or have family connections in Ukraine keep in touch.
A free and accessible press is vital to the evolution of Ukraine towards becoming a real and open democracy.
This ban cuts you off from a country where many have the best intentions for Ukraine.
Best wishes,
Bill Wimbledon
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Ban does not help cause of free press, libel reform
Dear Editor,
Libel law at least allows the challenge of an issue in open court in a fair democratic societies where the truth is not state controlled and orchestrated by a puppet Russian government.
In the United Kingdom, journalists are free to work without fear of the [Security Service of Ukraine] SBU or police interviews and beatings to intimidate them and report without fear to their families and homes.
The Kyiv Post is an independent source of news to those in the United Kingdom and alienating them will only cause the fight for free press in Ukraine to go further underground.
Maybe you should rename the Paper the “SBU Post.”
Regards,
Simon Martin
Assessor
Highbury College Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Kyiv Post needs support of its U.K. readers, ban only makes it harder for them to help
Dear Editor,
In late 2009, as I was preparing to move to Ukraine, I discovered the Kyiv Post online as an excellent and informative source of news and information on current affairs and political developments inside the country.
The broad range of subjects covered and the frankness of the articles helped me “lift the lid” on Ukrainian life and the well-written English language articles triggered an interest in people, places and topics which I had never known about before.
Once I had arrived in Kyiv, the weekly printed edition quickly became a “must read” for me as it probably did (and is) for many other foreigners living in the city. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say that I read the paper over-to-cover almost every week for most of the year and I hope I am much better informed because of it.
For this reason, and because I continue to follow events in Ukraine with considerable interest that I am disappointed with the recent decision to block all United Kingdom users from accessing your site.
Whilst I sympathize with the Kyiv Post’s position on this issue and I agree that the U.K. laws need updating to prevent them from being abused, I am not convinced that muzzling yourselves and restricting access for everyone in the U.K. is either correct or necessary.
Whilst I sympathize with the Kyiv Post’s position on this issue and I agree that the UK laws need updating to prevent them from being abused, I am not convinced that muzzling yourselves and restricting access for everyone in the UK is either correct or necessary.”
– Ian Bearder, KP reader.
By blocking those of us in the U.K. who care about Ukraine, you lose your ability to influence debate here in the U.K. or to initiate discussion on the many important issues facing Ukraine today. Other U.K. citizens like myself will miss the opportunity to learn about the country. At a time when the U.K. and Ukraine should be coming together, they will (thanks to a lack of information) grow further apart.
There is no other English language news like the Kyiv Post. Such action also punishes your partners and advertisers by denying them exposure to a U.K. audience.
Finally, I would ask if it is necessary or fair to punish one segment of your readership (based purely on nationality) for a law with which the Kyiv Post disagrees?
Is it not similar to the Economist or the Financial Times blocking access to Ukrainian citizens because of the new tax code, or because of Ukrainian government’s own record on freedom of speech?
If the Kyiv Post is opposed to the U.K. libel laws and if it makes a clear and well argued case against such laws, people who read your paper will agree. If they agree and feel strongly about the issue, they are free to sign the petition and to contact their elected representatives.
Such campaigns may be cumbersome and slow to take effect, but with the right level of support (which this campaign appears to have) things can be changed and the laws can be updated.
In fact, with a new government in place in Westminster who are keen to hand power back to the people you might find renewed political support for such changes.
According to the website of the U.K. parliament, libel legislation was discussed on Dec. 1.
Answering questions on issues including libel tourism, Jonathan Djanogly, parliamentary under secretary of state, explained that the government is currently reviewing the law on defamation and as part of this review it is considering the problem of libel tourism.
If the Kyiv Post is opposed to the U.K. libel laws and if it makes a clear and well argued case against such laws people who read your paper will agree, and if they agree and feel strongly about the issue they are free to sign the petition and to contact their elected representatives.”– Ian Bearder, KP reader.
Interestingly he explained that “research conducted in the context of the libel working group’s consideration of this issue did not show a significant number of actual cases involving foreign litigants in the High Court in 2009.”
However, he did acknowledge that major problems arise “from the threat of libel proceedings by wealthy foreigners and public figures, which is used to stifle investigative journalism, regardless of whether actual cases are subsequently brought-hence the fact that the number of cases alone might not accurately reflect the extent of the problem.”
The U.K .government are therefore “considering possible options carefully” and looking at ways to “tighten the rules and practice in order to head off inappropriate claims at the earliest possible stage, in cases where court permission is required to serve a defamation claim outside England and Wales.”
If this is achieved, would this not solve the problem?
So, to liberate your news, to keep UK readers informed about Ukrainian affairs and to keep up the pressure on the UK government, can I suggest the following as a compromise:
1. Wherever and however possible, urge everyone in Ukraine (or anywhere in the world for that matter) who supports you to write to the U.K. embassy urging them to highlight the importance of this issue.
2. Encourage readers (especially U.K. readers) and interest groups to write to their elected representatives (http://www.theyworkforyou.com makes this very easy)
3. Remove the ‘block’ on your website but keep a re-direct in place which takes online readers to a holding page which explains your concerns and asking them to sign the petition at http://www.libelreform.org/sign. Once they have seen this page – let them continue to your site as usual.
You certainly have my support on this issue, and I am happy to sign the petition, but please, liberate your news.
There could be any number of issues on which you need the support of U.K. readers (even if we are small in number) and it is far better is you work with us instead of against us. After all, an eye for an eye would leave the whole world blind.
Ian Bearder
Oxford, United Kingdom
P.S. for a complete transcript of the parliamentary debate, click here.
