Regions Party parliamentary faction MP Vitaliy Zhuravsky has registered at the parliament a draft instruction on the cancellation of a decision by the Verkhovna Rada to pass at first reading the bill on amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on toughening punishments for the infringement of the honor, dignity and business reputation of a person, the press service of the Regions Party reported on September 25 in the evening.
“Taking into account the situation and national interests, I’ve decided to withdraw the bill. I realize that any initiative is treated with at least anxiety and distrust before the parliamentary elections,” Zhuravsky said.
He expressed hope that the parliament would approve the draft instruction.
Zhuravsky noted that he visited a meeting of the Open Conversation interdepartmental working group to discuss his initiative with representatives of the media and journalists’ organizations.
“After the elections, I will organize several roundtable discussions with journalists, human rights activists, and scientists. After a broad discussion I will submit a new bill to the parliament,” the politician said.
As reported, the Verkhovna Rada is planning to return to the legislation the notion of slander and introduce criminal responsibility for such actions.
Some 244 of the 347 MPs registered at the parliament’s session on Tuesday voted at first reading for the bill on amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on tougher punishments for the infringement of the honor, dignity and business reputation of a person.
The author of the bill, Zhuravsky, registered the document in parliament in July. The MP proposed to introduce the notions of slander and offence to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code.
The document was revised in September and the notion “offence” was removed from it.
The document proposes to add Article 145-1 entitled “Slander” to the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
On September 18, Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Valeria Lutkovska said that the passing of the bill on amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine on toughening punishments for the infringement of the honor, dignity and business reputation of a person at first reading was unjustified. She also said that the sanctions proposed in the bill are too tough, and they could lead to significant infringements of freedom of speech, as well as imposing restraints on the activities of the media.
