Lawmakers overwhelmingly rescind libel law on Oct. 2

A total of 349 lawmakers out of 450 in the Verkhovna Rada voted this morning to rescind a draconian libel law that would have imprisoned journalists for defamation. The reversal comes two weeks after a majority in the same body -- 244 lawmakers -- voted for the legislation in the first reading.

Lawmakers backed down in the face of overwhelming international and domestic criticism, including from President Viktor Yanukovych, after his pro-presidential Party of Regions supported the law along with the Communist Party and members of Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn's bloc.

"I consider this a victory of civil society and journalists in particular," said Arseniy Yatseniuk, the opposition leader. He also said that he rescheduled a meeting with Yulia Tymoshenko to make it to the vote. The jailed former prime minister is now in a Kharkiv hospital, where she is being treated for spinal hernia.

Announcement To Readers

Since 1995, the Kyiv Post has been the world's window on Ukraine. Please support the newspaper’s quality, independent journalism with a digital subscription. Subscribers receive unlimited access to all stories, archives and PDFs from the Kyiv Post's staff writers and news services.
More info.

12 months Limited offer	1 month
$36.00Pay	$9.00Pay