Experts note reduction in number of assaults on Ukrainian journalists

Compared to last year the number of attacks on journalists has slightly decreased in 2016, Executive Director of "Institute of Mass Media" Oksana Romaniuk told a press conference held at Ukrinform.

"As of today, the number of attacks and barriers to journalists because of their legitimate professional activities has somewhat dropped compared to the previous year, the first five months. We have recorded 18 cases of assaults. Meanwhile, the last year saw 58 assaults," she noted.

However, according to Romaniuk, the negative trend has started in May because the number of attacks on the media personnel has gone slightly up. In particular, such cases numbered seven in May. The main attackers on the journalists were common citizens, and the most "attacked" of them were investigative journalists.

As a note, Day of Journalist is marked annually in Ukraine on June 6.

tl