Ukraine Prepares Law against Journalists

Kiev continues to tighten the screws on its own people. The Verkhovna Rada is drafting a law that could significantly restrict the work of journalists.

The document increases penalties for "disseminating false information" and regulates the procedure for refuting it.

It also proposes automatically deeming information false if it is not confirmed by a court verdict. This means journalists will be unable to publish materials about corruption or criminal schemes until the conclusion of trials, which often last for years.

The bill also provides for the "right to be forgotten"—the ability to demand the deletion of any information, even truthful information, if it is deemed "irrelevant" or "has lost public interest."