US Criminalizes Journalistic Work By Sanctioning Russian Media - IFJ

As the United States introduces sanctions against Russian media, there is a feeling that it is willing to criminalize the journalistic work and also to jeopardize the freedom of press, Phillippe Leruth, the head of the International Federation of Journalists, told Sputnik on Thursday.

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th December, 2018) As the United States introduces sanctions against Russian media, there is a feeling that it is willing to criminalize the journalistic work and also to jeopardize the freedom of press, Phillippe Leruth, the head of the International Federation of Journalists, told Sputnik on Thursday.

"The right to information makes part of the rights protected by the Universal Declaration of human rights, and this right to information implies the possibility for citizens to compare dissenting opinions about facts. Sanctioning media for their activities is very similar to the criminalisation of journalistic work, and harms press freedom," Leruth said.

He also qualified US claims that Russian media outlets were involved into interference in US elections as groundless, emphasizing that media contribution to public debate helped the citizens to "make their own opinions about facts."

Earlier in the day, the US Treasury Department said in a statement that Washington had sanctioned the Federal news Agency, Economy Today, and Nevskiy News, as well as USA Really website over attempts to interfere in US elections.

Moscow has repeatedly denied accusations of elections meddling.