Russian Union of Journalists expelled from International Federation of Journalists

According to Ukrinform, Sergiy Tomilenko, head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, announced this on Facebook and posted a photo of the NUJU delegation at the Congress, which includes journalists from Kyiv, Mariupol, Sloviansk, and Odesa, wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Stop Russia. Save journalists.”

According to him, the Russian Union of Journalists was expelled from the International Federation of Journalists following a decision by the IFJ Congress, which approved the Appeals Commission's recommendation. This body reviews contentious issues in accordance with the federation’s charter.

The decision was adopted at the 32nd World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists, taking place in Paris from May 4 to 7 and dedicated to the federation’s centennial.

The Congress’s decision marked the final stage of a process that began in the early months of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

The Russian organization lost its membership after its appeal failed and amid accusations of collaborating with the state and operating in the occupied territories of Ukraine, Tomilenko noted.

The expulsion procedure, as explained in a comment to the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine by Jim Boumelha, the former long-time president of the IFJ and treasurer, was both formal and symbolic. Until that point, the Russian organization’s membership had remained suspended and “frozen” following a 2023 decision by the IFJ Executive Committee.

The Appeals Commission recommended expulsion, and Congress approved that decision. The Russian Union of Journalists is no longer a member of the IFJ, Boumelha said.

He emphasized that the Russian side did not utilize the established appeal procedure: Despite the opportunity to attend and present their position, representatives of the RUJ did not attend the Congress and did not submit a properly drafted appeal. The letter sent the day before contained general explanations but did not constitute a substantive appeal.

The commission had no other choice, added Boumelha, stressing that the decision was made strictly within the framework of the statutory rules.

In Sweden, the expulsion of the RUJ was viewed as essential for maintaining the federation’s standards. Ulrika Hüllert, president of the Swedish Union of Journalists, stated that the IFJ cannot include organizations that are closely linked to the state.

She said that they could not have organizations in the IFJ that were so close to the state, emphasizing that the Congress’s decision had not sparked any debate.

According to Hüllert, this will allow the federation to focus on key areas—the protection of freedom of speech, professional ethics, and support for journalists, particularly in wartime. Hüllert added that it had been the right decision and that he was truly proud of it.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine called the decision “the only possible and long-awaited one,” emphasizing that the campaign to expel the RUJ began as early as February 28, 2022—immediately after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. At that time, Ukrainian journalists publicly appealed to the international community to distance itself from Russian propaganda outlets.

In October 2022, the NUJU, together with the Independent Media Trade Union of Ukraine, submitted an official protest to the IFJ's governing bodies. The key argument was the Russian Union of Journalists' creation of its own branches in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The Ukrainian party viewed this as a violation of international law and interference in the activities of legitimate journalistic organizations.

As Tomilenko recalled, he had stated earlier: “While we are rescuing journalists forced to flee from occupied territories and frontline zones, the Russian Union of Journalists is effectively an instrument of war and occupation.”

The NUJU emphasizes that since the RUJ’s suspension of membership in February 2023, no changes have occurred that could serve as grounds for revising the decision: Russia has not ceased its aggression, has not condemned war crimes, and has not distanced itself from participation in the occupying media structures.

During this time, according to the NUJU, at least 149 Ukrainian and foreign media workers have been killed, 28 journalists remain in captivity, and hundreds of media outlets have been destroyed or seized—and it is precisely in this environment that the Russian Union of Journalists has been building its structures.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine emphasized that the Congress’s decision stems from the federation’s core principles. Solidarity is possible only with those who respect human life, professional ethics, and freedom of speech, the union stated. What is called journalism in Russia is an industry of hate that serves the war.

As reported by Ukrinform, during his speech at the International Federation of Journalists Congress in Paris, Tomilenko stated that journalistic solidarity ceases to be an abstract concept and becomes a tangible support infrastructure.

Photo: Facebook Sergiy Tomilenko