Russia’s main media trade union´s membership has been suspended by the International Federation of Journalists
The International Federation of Journalists has announced that they have suspended the membership of the Russian Union of Journalists.
According to Reuters this move has been announced after branches were set up in areas of Ukraine under Russian control.
A statement released by the IFJ President Dominique Pradalie said, “The IFJ is an organization built on international solidarity, on principles of cooperation between member unions and respect for the rights of all journalists.”.
It added, “The Russian Union of Journalists’ actions in establishing four branches in the annexed Ukrainian territories have clearly shattered this solidarity and sown divisions among sister unions”.
In response to the move by IFJ, the Russian union has said that “the move violated the IFJ’s charter and would hurt the world body financially because it would no longer receive substantial membership fees from Russia”.
This move by IFJ comes after unions from Finland, Norway, Denmark, as well as Iceland, had threatened to quit the international body after no action was taken as union branches from Russia were opened in occupied Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Solovyov, head of the Russian union has stated that “The decision is purely political, they went along with the ultimatum of the Nordic trade unions, unfortunately,” he said, adding that the Russian union had “big plans” for other forms of international cooperation outside the IFJ”:
IFJ is based in Brussels and represents 600,000 journalists from 146 different countries.
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