Committee on freedom of speech predicts bill aiming to penalize fakes won’t pass

The Parliament committee on freedom of speech and informational policy predicts the bill #10139 “On amendments to some regulatory acts of Ukraine on prevention of diffusing of untruthful information through mass media” won’t be included to the agenda. Olha Chervakova, deputy of head of the parliament committee on freedom of speech told on March 19th, as to Ukrinform news agency. “The committee of freedom of speech esteems this bill won’t pass due to expertise made by our committee. If it goes through the committee on law enforcement matters, I cannot anticipate what is power balance there. But I guess the civilized attitude has to overcome there as well. So in my view this bill has no chance to get into the session hall, since it will get very negative evaluation of the committee on. But even if it happens to get the session hall, I suppose it it will be of high probability it won’t be even included to the agenda”, she said. Chervakova added that similar draft laws had been proposed for voting by MPs from Party of Regions during previous legislature. “But when they propose the bill on criminalization of defamation at the parliament of post-Maydan legislature, and by the MPs from democratice groups who had been at Maydan, I am surprised and I find it as an absolute wildness”, she said. IMI informed the Verkhovna Rada has enregistred the bill N#10139 on criminal liability for intentional or casual spread of untruthful information in mass media or online (“On amendment to some regulatory acts of Ukraine on prevention of diffusing of untruthful information through mass media”). The delict is supposed to be fined in amount up to 54 thousands of hryvnias ($2 000) or correctional labour or public service.