Media law signed by Zelenskyy could undermine press freedom in Ukraine

The New York Times writes about this. 

The article says that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law on December 29 that expands the government's regulatory powers over the news media. At the same time, journalistic organisations warned that this step could undermine press freedom in the country.

Although some of the law's harsher provisions have been watered down in response to criticism, serious concerns about the regulator's independence remain, national and international media said on December 30. 

The law extends the powers of Ukraine's state broadcasting regulator to online and print media. Previous drafts gave the regulator the power to fine media outlets, revoke their licenses, temporarily block certain online publications without a court order, and require social media platforms and search giants such as Google to remove content that violates the law.

Zelenskyy, whose administration has been accused of undermining press freedom in recent years, in 2019 ordered the drafting of a law to tighten media regulation.

The measure was passed by Ukraine's parliament this month, along with a number of other bills that lawmakers said were intended to help the country meet European Union conditions for membership. 

But Ukrainian journalists and international press freedom groups raised concerns about the media bill as it was going through parliament, saying it went far beyond EU requirements and accusing the government of using membership commitments as an excuse to tighten control over the press.

The Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit organization that fights for press freedom around the world, called on Ukrainian lawmakers to scrap the bill in September, saying it strengthens "state control over information at a time when citizens need it most."

The European Federation of Journalists, whose secretary general called an earlier draft of the law "worthy of the worst authoritarian regimes," said Dec. 30 that the legislation continues to contravene European standards for press freedom because the independence of the state media regulator, whose members are appointed by the president and parliament, cannot be guaranteed.

"Ukraine will demonstrate its European commitment by promoting free and independent media, not by establishing state control over information," said Ricardo Gutierrez, the federation's secretary general.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine said there was a lack of transparency during the consideration of the draft law, claiming that changes were made in closed meetings of parliamentary committees and that media representatives and the public were not given enough time to respond.

In a statement released before the Ukrainian Parliament voted on the bill, the union said the legislation would weaken freedoms that "distinguish Ukraine's social order from the regime of dictatorial Russia." 

The Parliament’s Main Legal Department also noted in an analysis published this month that it had been given little time to review the changes to the bill and that the wording of the law did not sufficiently address the risk of censorship.

Ukrainian officials rejected accusations that the EU requirements were being used as a cover for restricting press freedom. They said substantial changes to the draft law were made after consultations with media professionals and argued that fundamental changes to Ukraine's media legislation were overdue.

"Of course, this draft law is even broader than the EU directives, because we needed to change and modernize our media legislation, which has not been changed for 16 years," said Yevheniya Kravchuk, deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Information Policy, after the bill was approved. 

At least one Ukrainian organization focusing on press freedom, the Kyiv-based Institute of Mass Information, said Dec. 29 it was largely satisfied with the revised legislation but would monitor its implementation. 

"To improve it, we will need to amend the Constitution, which, unfortunately, is impossible during martial law. This is one of our main plans for the future," said Oksana Romanyuk, Executive Director of the IMI.