Zelenski signs media law criticized by Union of Journalists for threatening freedom of expression

Daniel Stewart - Yesterday 2:35 PM

Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky signed Thursday a media law already criticized in December by the Union of Journalists of Ukraine for threatening freedom of expression and tightening journalistic dissemination of Russian "propaganda".

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The measure, approved in December in the Ukrainian Parliament with 299 votes in favor, provides for the prohibition of information disseminated through the media calling for or justifying a change in the constitutional order, as well as for a conflict that violates the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

This new legislation, which extends the powers of the National Council of Radio and Television Broadcasting, was rejected by the Union of Journalists of Ukraine, which said that freedom of expression in the country was beginning to be "threatened".

"Journalists or other media workers who rightly criticize the law were not invited to any meetings. The meetings themselves were held in a non-transparent manner, without public broadcasting," it assured last December 13 in a statement published on its website.

He also alluded to the fact that this new legislation introduces "censorship tools". "An important value that Ukrainians defend today is freedom of expression and the right of every person and citizen to receive truthful, unbiased and objective information about what is happening in and around Ukraine," he stressed.

The law determines that information containing propaganda of the "Russian totalitarian regime" as well as symbology associated with the Russian invasion of Ukraine may not be published, Ukrinform news agency has reported.

The controversial measure also determines the prohibition of disseminating information that assures that the Ukrainian war is an internal or civil conflict, as well as establishes a veto against programs, except news programs, in which people included in the Ukrainian 'black list' appear.

In case of non-compliance with the law, the Ukrainian authorities envisage fines, deregistration or a ban on publishing and distributing information, both in print and digital media, according to several Ukrainian media outlets.

Source: (EUROPA PRESS)