The Controversy Surrounding ORF Correspondent Christian Wehrschütz and the Implications for Reporters Without Borders

The debate surrounding ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz has further implications. Lawyer Gabriel Lansky has left the board of Reporters Without Borders.

Christian Wehrschütz is currently saying nothing about the excitement surrounding him. The question of the extent to which the ORF correspondent can continue to work in Ukraine is widespread: the well-known lawyer Gabriel Lansky has therefore left the board of the Reporters Without Borders organization. Lansky, who represents Wehrschütz as a lawyer, complained to the “Standard” that Reporters Without Borders did not take any action when Ukraine tried to get rid of Wehrschütz as a correspondent in the country. However, a defender of press freedom must take a stand in such a case.

The president of Reporters Without Borders, Fritz Hausjell, emphasized to the “Standard” that they always take action when there are threats to press freedom: “But there are more complex cases that have a longer decision-making process.” He also justified Lansky’s departure with a conflict of interest : “The professional interests of a law firm, which, among other things, represents clients in lawsuits against journalists (and rightly invokes legal professional secrecy), occasionally clashes with the interests of a civil society organization.”

There are different points of view about the cause of Wehrschütz’s problems. Is it Ukraine’s reluctance towards reports that also show the country’s dark side, i.e. report on corruption and authoritarian tendencies? Wehrschütz represents this view. Or is it a skepticism towards someone who simply ignores the rules and films and distributes too many things without thought? Who has been under observation in Ukraine for a long time and had to struggle with an entry ban years ago? In mid-September there were new allegations against Wehrschütz. (APA/ed.)