A draft law on countering disinformation, submitted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, if enacted would increase pressure on the country's media, Serhiy Tomilenko, the president of Ukraine's National Union of Journalists, said on Tuesday
KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2020) A draft law on countering disinformation, submitted by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, Youth and sports, if enacted would increase pressure on the country's media, Serhiy Tomilenko, the president of Ukraine's National Union of Journalists, said on Tuesday.
On January 20, the ministry submitted the bill, which introduces a system of fines and criminal liability for disinformation. Additionally, the bill requires all Ukrainian journalists to hold a press card from a state-sponsored organization.
"In general, the bill does not provide effective tools to combat disinformation, but only increases pressure on the Ukrainian media ... We consider this idea shameful and discriminatory," Tomilenko wrote on his Facebook page.
He added that the authorities would simply silence its critics with this draft law. Instead, Tomilenko said that the country needed ombudsmen who are ready to defend journalists and their rights.
"We really need an authorized person or ombudsman who will protect journalists, our rights, who will not allow security officials to delay the investigation, imitate work and illegally close cases, who will not put up with the bullying of journalists and the media," Tomilenko added.
In November 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tasked his cabinet of ministers to legislatively regulate the work of media in the country and to prohibit Russian nationals from owning Ukrainian media outlets.
