Decency law could lead to Grand Inquisition of media

The government wants mass media outlets to sign a “civil agreement” that would set a framework for the protection of public morals. The initiative is being promoted by the National Council for TV and Radio and the National Commission to Protect Social Morals, an agency that analyzes the “decency” of media content. Basically, the government is asking the media to dig its own grave.

Undoubtedly, media in Ukraine should be governed by laws as well as internal standards and principles. Of course, news and advertising content should be decent. But signing dubious agreements with government agencies that have a right to shut media outlets is the same as giving them a pretext to do so.

Ukraine’s Constitution guarantees freedom of speech. But it also says this right can be limited to protect national security or civil order, public health and sensitive information. Similar laws exist in many nations. One such law was used by a Russian prosecutor last week to warn Russian Newsweek because of an edition that contained information deemed to incite Muslims and Christians. When vague laws cite “inter-ethnic or inter-religious hostilities,” “national security” or “civil order,” they are ripe for abuse. Ukrainian law already gives the government too many levers with which to exert control over the media. The government does not need to invent new ones.