MPs appealed not to include to agenda the project of law on sanctions against mass media

The FreeNet Coalition and other NGOs are appealing to the MPs not to include the project of law # 9275 on sanctions against the mass media to the agenda of the parliament sitting. Earlier, the coalition and several NGOs, IMI includingly, have expressed its negative assessments as to the project of law. The Directorate for Research and expert at the Parliament estimated that the amendments to the law had several signs failing to be in conformity to the Constitution. The notion of “a media support” to the terrorism defined by this bill could serve as a pretext for inflicting sanctions against the mass media and could suppose some loose interpretation. As to the project of law, any mention of terrorist organization could be treated as a terrorism propaganda and could be equated to terroristic activity. “The project of law does cover neither the procedure issues, nor clear criteria allowing to consider the mass media activity as such which backs the terrorism. This is contrary to the article 34 of Ukrainian Constitution and to the article 10 of the European convention on human rights and fundamental freedoms. That’s why exclusive right of the Verkhovna Rada to determine which mass media are to be inflicted with sanctions could be a form of a political censorship and pressure onto the mass media, namely during the election period’, as to the statement made by the FreeNet Coalition. FreeNet Coalition NGO Human Rights Platform NGO Laboratory of digital safety NGO Information Center on Human Rights NGO Crimean Human Right Group Freedom House Office in Ukraine NGO Donetsk Information Institute NGO Media Detector NGO Institute of Mass Information