Lina Kushch: “‘Do no harm’ is key in the missing persons issue”

Journalists are often the only ones who can give a voice to the families of missing civilians. The First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), Lina Kushch, emphasized this at a conference organized by the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP).

This year, the NUJU, together with the ICMP, conducted the first anonymous survey in Ukraine of relatives of missing and illegally detained civilians. Almost 100 respondents spoke about the real amount of assistance from the state — it turned out to be significantly less than for military families.

To colleagues covering this topic, Lina Kushch advises:

• Do no harm is key in the missing persons issue.
• Do not publish personal data, photos, biographical details, or whereabouts.
• Be careful with accents: do not emphasize the person’s pro-Ukrainian position if it could be harmful.
• Work with families delicately, without pressure or haste — give them time to talk.
• Prepare for the conversation in advance: study the context and legislation.
• Do not amplify the tragedy with your own emotions — the story is strong enough already.
• Take care of yourself: working with such topics requires psychological support.

NUJU Information Service