BBC resumes reports in English despite threats of jail

THE BBC has resumed its English-language reporting in Russia despite the country threatening to jail journalists who publish “fake” information about the invasion of Ukraine.

The corporation temporarily suspended operations on Friday after the Russian authorities passed a law that carries a sentence of up to 15 years for reporters who spread information that goes against the Kremlin’s version of events. However, the BBC said in a new statement yesterday: “We have considered the implications of the new legislation alongside the urgent need to report from inside Russia.

“After careful deliberation, we have decided to resume English-language reporting from Russia this evening after it was temporarily suspended at the end of last week.

“We will tell this crucial part of the story independently and impartially, adhering to the BBC’S strict editorial standards. The safety of our staff in Russia remains our number-one priority.”

On Friday, Tim Davie, the directorgeneral of the BBC, said that “the safety of our staff is paramount and we are not prepared to expose them to the risk of criminal prosecution simply for doing their jobs”.

The New York Times announced yesterday that it is to pull all staff out of Russia in response to the country’s crackdown. “For the safety and security of our editorial staff working in the region, we are moving them out of the country for now,” a spokesman said.

The dangers to reporters on the ground was illustrated last week when a Sky News team came under fire while filming near Kyiv. Stuart Ramsay, Sky’s chief foreign correspondent, was shot and wounded alongside members of his production team when they were ambushed by what he described as Russian “saboteurs” behind Ukrainian lines.