“Ukrainian Media Movement, media and human rights organizations urged the Verkhovna Rada not to support draft law No. 10242 in its current version, as it may pose significant threats to freedom of speech. Source: Mediaruh statement, published by the Institute of Mass Information Details: It is noted that the draft law does not take into account critical comments regarding the need to introduce effective protection mechanisms for persons who disclose confidential information in the public interest, in particular, journalists and whistleblowers of corruption.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Ukrainian Media Movement, media and human rights organizations urged the Verkhovna Rada not to support draft law No. 10242 in its current version, as it may pose significant threats to freedom of speech.
Source: statement of the Media Office, published by the Institute of Mass Information
Details: It is noted that the draft law does not take into account critical comments regarding the need to introduce effective protection mechanisms for persons who disclose confidential information in the public interest, in particular, journalists and whistleblowers of corruption.
The document proposes to introduce criminal liability for the distribution of closed data from registers. At first it was about 8 years of imprisonment, before the second reading it was reduced to 5.
Literally: “We, the members of Mediaruh, as well as media and human rights non-governmental organizations of Ukraine, repeat our call to the People’s Deputies of Ukraine to refuse to support draft law No. 10242 in its current version. This draft law continues to pose significant threats to freedom of speech, the work of journalists, the protection of journalistic sources and whistleblowers corruption in Ukraine.
Its revised version, which was proposed for the vote, did not eliminate the risks that we highlighted in the previous statement of December 2, 2024. The draft law strengthens criminal liability for unauthorized dissemination of confidential information.”
Details: “As the journalists emphasize, despite the reduction of the corresponding sanction, the proposed punishment of up to 5 years of imprisonment for similar actions during the legal regime of martial law remains disproportionate.”
Literally: “That is why the provisions of draft law No. 10242 in its updated version continue to contradict the principles of freedom of speech, protection of journalistic sources and whistleblowers, enshrined in international documents, including the recently adopted European Act on Freedom of the Media.
Criminal liability for the disclosure of confidential information from the registers must be accompanied by the creation of reliable mechanisms for the protection of journalists and whistleblowers of corruption.
We urge people’s deputies not to vote for draft law No. 10242, but representatives of the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Law Enforcement to engage in a real dialogue with representatives of the media community with the aim of improving the system of criminal legislation in this area. Any new norms introduced by such draft laws should really protect the state from the risks associated with data trading and mass leaks of information, and not limit the possibilities of public control over the government and contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of fear among journalists.”
For reference: Mediarukh is a community that has united journalists from leading Ukrainian media, investigative journalists and experts from media public organizations. Mediarukh was launched on February 5, 2019. The first signatories of the memorandum of the Media movement were “UA: First”, “Ukrainian Radio”, “Hromadske Radio”, IA “Ukrinform”, IA “Interfax-Ukraine”, Liga.net, “Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. Ukraine”, NV, “Censor.net “, Channel 5, “Ukrainian Week”, Opinion, a number of regional media, public organizations Independent Media Council, “Media Detector”, Institute of Mass Information, “Internews Ukraine”, Center for Democracy and the Rule of Law, “Society” Foundation, National Media Association, Donetsk Institute of Information, Pylyp Orlyk Institute of Democracy, Zmina Center for Human Rights.
Later, other organizations and individual journalists joined – more than 70 participants in total. On November 16, 2021, representatives of the leading media called on journalists to unite in the professional community “Mediarukh” to resist political and commercial pressure on freedom of speech. The initiators of the statement were 29 journalists and experts, their names are available at the link.