*Denmark’s foreign minister is astonished, and the Danish Association of Journalists calls it “a setback for press freedom”.*
DR’s Russia and Ukraine correspondent, Matilde Kimer, has had her press accreditation revoked and is no longer allowed to work as a journalist in Ukraine.
She was informed back in August when she received an email from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, which issues the accreditations. It stated that the accreditation was cancelled and that this was done on the orders of the Ukrainian security service, the SBU.
Only on Thursday 8 December was it possible for Matilde Kimer to have a meeting with the SBU. It was arranged with the help of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and took place at the office of the Security Service in Kyiv.
There she was told that some of her “postings” look like she sympathises with Russia, she says. She assumes the security service is referring to posts on her professional Facebook profile.
But she doesn’t recognise that image herself. She doesn’t think they could show her anything at the meeting to back up their accusations.
– I don’t see what they see at all. I don’t understand it,” says Matilde Kimer.
– I don’t think my journalism has a slant. It’s one of the things I’ve done the most in my whole career as a journalist. Not to put on feelers, but to report what’s going on.
The cancelled accreditation does not mean that Matilde Kimer is barred from entering Ukraine. But she believes it deprives her of any opportunity to work as a journalist in the country.
– I can’t do a single report that shows the consequences of this war or the suffering of the Ukrainian people or the acts of war themselves,” she says.
#’Deeply problematic’
DR’s news director Sandy French believes the accusation against Matilde Kimer is unfounded and unfair.
– We are actually quite shocked by this, she says.
– One of the most important and inalienable principles of DR is our editorial and independent freedom to provide fair and credible journalism to the Danes. That’s why it’s deeply problematic when someone – whoever they are – tries to curtail that freedom.
She stresses that DR still has full confidence in Matilde Kimer’s independence.
– No one has provided fairer and more sober coverage of the war in Ukraine than she, and this has been recognised and rewarded on several occasions.
Matilde Kimer is currently nominated for the Cavling Prize, the most prestigious journalism award.
Matilde Kimer was expelled by Russia this summer.
#Foreign Minister Lars Løkke is puzzled
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark has been informed about the case since August. And since the end of September they have been trying to help DR get through to the authorities in Ukraine.
At DR, News Director Sandy French hopes the ministry will continue to help solve the problem.
– My expectation is that they take it as seriously as I do, and therefore I also expect them to take responsibility for finding a solution as soon as possible so that Matilde can resume her journalism in Ukraine.
And at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, new minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen assures that his predecessor has done everything he could. He also promises to look into the matter himself.
– Our task is to emphasise to the Ukrainian authorities that we attach great importance to freedom of the press. And that we have a state radio station which we ourselves have the impression is doing sober journalism.
#Ukraine has seen examples of Russian agents among journalists
At the Ukrainian Embassy in Copenhagen, Ambassador Mykhailo Vydoinyk is generally pleased with DR’s coverage of the war.
– We are grateful for DR’s coverage of the war, especially through the office in Kyiv, and we encourage you to continue your work, he says.
As Ambassador, he will not comment on Matildes Kimer’s specific case. But he believes the security service SBU has valid reasons for reviewing – and sanctioning – journalists working at the front in Ukraine.
– Unfortunately, we have seen examples of Russian agents among journalists sharing the positions of the Ukrainian army. Therefore, we need to dig deeper and check everything. We are at war guys, this is reality, he says.
#’Outrageous’
This view is not shared by the Danish Association of Journalists, which organises journalists in Denmark. President Tine Johansen is highly critical of the sanctioning of Matilde Kimer.
– This is outrageous. As a world community, we need to have eyes and ears on the ground. We need proper journalistic coverage of what is going on in these historic events. And so it really is a setback for press freedom and our own ability to inform ourselves that a good journalist is being turned away in this way.
Matilde Kimer is still trying to convince the Ukrainian security services that she is not conducting propaganda for the Russians.
She has collected 10 of her stories, translated them, and sent them to the security service. Her hope is that they see the kind of journalism she does on a daily basis.
So far, she has been offered one solution. She says the security service will reconsider her case if she agrees to write what they call “good stories” about Ukraine. At the same time, she will have to use the material provided to her by the security service.
Matilde Kimer has refused to do so.
– As an independent journalist, I will not present stories with material produced by anyone other than myself. I can’t sit at a desk in DR City and post propaganda for any intelligence service. Not even the Ukrainian one.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen explains that he understands that Ukraine is in a special situation right now. Nevertheless, it is important that the free press functions so that Danes can get an impression of what is going on in the war, he says.
– We have here a journalist whose journalistic integrity no one, to my knowledge, has questioned. So let’s hope and believe that it will be enough to convince the Ukrainian authorities.
Diclaimer here: I fully support Ukraine I don’t want to have mud thrown at me like I am some Russian puppet, but this story deeply troubles me and other Danes on /r/denmark.
Banning Kimer is a big Mistake, and puts a lot of questions behind who makes the decisions whay is pro russian.
Her reporting has been great all around from the first days of the war, and her reporting has done alot to make clear the plight of the Ukranian people to the Danes.
This will cause a backlash to be sure, that won’t be positive for Ukraine and lends credence to Russian propaganda that both sides are the same bla. Bla. Bla. The ukranian foreign ministry has to act to reinstate her, and look through the process of who actually revoked her license.
In the link there are Facebook posts about (or from) Crimea and Donetsk.
**Did she visit both places via Russia? If yes – then this is the answer.**
Google Translated comment to one of the pictures:
“Beautiful ladies sing about fate here on the anniversary of the Crimean vote” (what vote, lol??)
Its a cliche, but in war the truth is the first casualty.
Horrible decision by Ukraine.
I hope they can be persuaded to reverse it, otherwise I think they will find the support in the Danish populace declining.
Kimer is rightly viewed with a lot of respect.
What has she said that made ukraine ban her?
I’m as big as a supporter for Ukraine as they come but these kind of decisions are troubling. Why can’t she report? Nobody believes she’s a Russian puppet that utter BS. So are they covering shit up?
Not good.
Pathethic. This is the russian way of handling journalists, what a moronic decision. She is an extremely well respected journalist, all the Ukrainians grasping at straws, stop, this is your one way ticket into Russia. Choose. European, or Russian values.
Problematic move by the Ukrainian government.
Indirectly, they are not only saying that Matilde Kimer supports Russia, but also as she reports for DR, the Danish state broadcaster, that the DR spreads Russian propaganda.
You either have to prove that very well or it is an unproven allegation and if you don’t prove it then you can’t ban her from reporting in a democratic country, especially not as a democratic country that wants to join the EU and needs help from the EU.
Ukraine becoming a bit too comfortable with unconditional NATO support.
11 comments
Translation via DeepL:
*Denmark’s foreign minister is astonished, and the Danish Association of Journalists calls it “a setback for press freedom”.*
DR’s Russia and Ukraine correspondent, Matilde Kimer, has had her press accreditation revoked and is no longer allowed to work as a journalist in Ukraine.
She was informed back in August when she received an email from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, which issues the accreditations. It stated that the accreditation was cancelled and that this was done on the orders of the Ukrainian security service, the SBU.
Only on Thursday 8 December was it possible for Matilde Kimer to have a meeting with the SBU. It was arranged with the help of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and took place at the office of the Security Service in Kyiv.
There she was told that some of her “postings” look like she sympathises with Russia, she says. She assumes the security service is referring to posts on her professional Facebook profile.
But she doesn’t recognise that image herself. She doesn’t think they could show her anything at the meeting to back up their accusations.
– I don’t see what they see at all. I don’t understand it,” says Matilde Kimer.
– I don’t think my journalism has a slant. It’s one of the things I’ve done the most in my whole career as a journalist. Not to put on feelers, but to report what’s going on.
The cancelled accreditation does not mean that Matilde Kimer is barred from entering Ukraine. But she believes it deprives her of any opportunity to work as a journalist in the country.
– I can’t do a single report that shows the consequences of this war or the suffering of the Ukrainian people or the acts of war themselves,” she says.
#’Deeply problematic’
DR’s news director Sandy French believes the accusation against Matilde Kimer is unfounded and unfair.
– We are actually quite shocked by this, she says.
– One of the most important and inalienable principles of DR is our editorial and independent freedom to provide fair and credible journalism to the Danes. That’s why it’s deeply problematic when someone – whoever they are – tries to curtail that freedom.
She stresses that DR still has full confidence in Matilde Kimer’s independence.
– No one has provided fairer and more sober coverage of the war in Ukraine than she, and this has been recognised and rewarded on several occasions.
Matilde Kimer is currently nominated for the Cavling Prize, the most prestigious journalism award.
Matilde Kimer was expelled by Russia this summer.
#Foreign Minister Lars Løkke is puzzled
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark has been informed about the case since August. And since the end of September they have been trying to help DR get through to the authorities in Ukraine.
At DR, News Director Sandy French hopes the ministry will continue to help solve the problem.
– My expectation is that they take it as seriously as I do, and therefore I also expect them to take responsibility for finding a solution as soon as possible so that Matilde can resume her journalism in Ukraine.
And at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, new minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen assures that his predecessor has done everything he could. He also promises to look into the matter himself.
– Our task is to emphasise to the Ukrainian authorities that we attach great importance to freedom of the press. And that we have a state radio station which we ourselves have the impression is doing sober journalism.
#Ukraine has seen examples of Russian agents among journalists
At the Ukrainian Embassy in Copenhagen, Ambassador Mykhailo Vydoinyk is generally pleased with DR’s coverage of the war.
– We are grateful for DR’s coverage of the war, especially through the office in Kyiv, and we encourage you to continue your work, he says.
As Ambassador, he will not comment on Matildes Kimer’s specific case. But he believes the security service SBU has valid reasons for reviewing – and sanctioning – journalists working at the front in Ukraine.
– Unfortunately, we have seen examples of Russian agents among journalists sharing the positions of the Ukrainian army. Therefore, we need to dig deeper and check everything. We are at war guys, this is reality, he says.
#’Outrageous’
This view is not shared by the Danish Association of Journalists, which organises journalists in Denmark. President Tine Johansen is highly critical of the sanctioning of Matilde Kimer.
– This is outrageous. As a world community, we need to have eyes and ears on the ground. We need proper journalistic coverage of what is going on in these historic events. And so it really is a setback for press freedom and our own ability to inform ourselves that a good journalist is being turned away in this way.
Matilde Kimer is still trying to convince the Ukrainian security services that she is not conducting propaganda for the Russians.
She has collected 10 of her stories, translated them, and sent them to the security service. Her hope is that they see the kind of journalism she does on a daily basis.
So far, she has been offered one solution. She says the security service will reconsider her case if she agrees to write what they call “good stories” about Ukraine. At the same time, she will have to use the material provided to her by the security service.
Matilde Kimer has refused to do so.
– As an independent journalist, I will not present stories with material produced by anyone other than myself. I can’t sit at a desk in DR City and post propaganda for any intelligence service. Not even the Ukrainian one.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen explains that he understands that Ukraine is in a special situation right now. Nevertheless, it is important that the free press functions so that Danes can get an impression of what is going on in the war, he says.
– We have here a journalist whose journalistic integrity no one, to my knowledge, has questioned. So let’s hope and believe that it will be enough to convince the Ukrainian authorities.
Diclaimer here: I fully support Ukraine I don’t want to have mud thrown at me like I am some Russian puppet, but this story deeply troubles me and other Danes on /r/denmark.
Banning Kimer is a big Mistake, and puts a lot of questions behind who makes the decisions whay is pro russian.
Her reporting has been great all around from the first days of the war, and her reporting has done alot to make clear the plight of the Ukranian people to the Danes.
This will cause a backlash to be sure, that won’t be positive for Ukraine and lends credence to Russian propaganda that both sides are the same bla. Bla. Bla. The ukranian foreign ministry has to act to reinstate her, and look through the process of who actually revoked her license.
In the link there are Facebook posts about (or from) Crimea and Donetsk.
**Did she visit both places via Russia? If yes – then this is the answer.**
Google Translated comment to one of the pictures:
“Beautiful ladies sing about fate here on the anniversary of the Crimean vote” (what vote, lol??)
Its a cliche, but in war the truth is the first casualty.
Horrible decision by Ukraine.
I hope they can be persuaded to reverse it, otherwise I think they will find the support in the Danish populace declining.
Kimer is rightly viewed with a lot of respect.
What has she said that made ukraine ban her?
I’m as big as a supporter for Ukraine as they come but these kind of decisions are troubling. Why can’t she report? Nobody believes she’s a Russian puppet that utter BS. So are they covering shit up?
Not good.
Pathethic. This is the russian way of handling journalists, what a moronic decision. She is an extremely well respected journalist, all the Ukrainians grasping at straws, stop, this is your one way ticket into Russia. Choose. European, or Russian values.
Problematic move by the Ukrainian government.
Indirectly, they are not only saying that Matilde Kimer supports Russia, but also as she reports for DR, the Danish state broadcaster, that the DR spreads Russian propaganda.
You either have to prove that very well or it is an unproven allegation and if you don’t prove it then you can’t ban her from reporting in a democratic country, especially not as a democratic country that wants to join the EU and needs help from the EU.
Ukraine becoming a bit too comfortable with unconditional NATO support.