You're reading: OSCE says new anti-communist laws in Ukraine potential threat to freedom of speech

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic believes that certain Ukrainian anti-Communist laws, which were passed by the country's parliament and signed by President Petro Poroshenko, may pose a potential threat to freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

“It is discouraging for freedom of expression and media freedom advocates that the law has gone into effect, despite various calls to safeguard these basic rights,” Mijatovic said when commenting on Ukraine’s law entitled ‘On condemnation of the Communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and banning of propaganda of their symbols’.

The representative’s remarks were posted on the OSCE website.

“Violation of the law carries a penalty of potential termination of media activities and prison sentences of five to ten years,” she said.

“While I fully respect the often sensitive and painful nature of historical debate and its effect on society, broadly and vaguely defined language that restricts individuals from expressing views on past events and people could easily lead to suppression of political, provocative and critical speech, especially in the media,” Mijatovic noted.

The representative also criticized the norms of the law ‘On the legal status and honoring of fighters for Ukrainian independence in the twentieth century’.

The law introduces liability for publicly expressing disrespect to certain groups of fighters for Ukrainian independence in the 20th century and criminalizes public denial of the legitimacy of their fight for Ukraine’s independence.