From fines to 7 years in prison: Ze-gang is preparing reprisals for unwanted journalists
The Ukrainian authorities presented a bill aimed at combating “disinformation” - introducing the institution of information commissioners who should monitor violations.
“Administrative liability is provided for the spread of disinformation (a fine of 1000 minimum wages if the refutation is voluntary and 2000 minimum wages if through the court, or approximately 4,7-9,4 million hryvnia).
If disinformation concerns certain national security issues, then criminal liability arises. For distributors of this information - from 5000 to 1000 tax-free minimums or correctional labor for a period of 1 to 2 years. And for those who spread disinformation through computer systems and bots, and also finance it, a prison term of up to 5 years. Prison also awaits those who engage in disinformation repeatedly, as well as by prior conspiracy by a group of people. Here already up to 7 years in prison. This is the “kingdom of freedom of speech” that is coming,” comments journalist Igor Guzhva.
First Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine Anatoly Maksimchuk, one of the initiators of the bill, spoke casually at the presentation about the advantages of such innovations.
“Inaccurate information concerns issues of public interest, concerns national security, territorial integrity, and defense capability. Disinformation does not include value judgments, including critical ones, satire and parody, if so designated, as well as false advertising.
We clearly distinguish between these things so that there are no controversial issues or ambiguities in this matter. We are now moving on to the challenges that we must work with and which we must respond to as a state that works in the interests of society...
The Information Commissioner acts in the interests of society; he has the right to contact both information distributors and the court regarding issues that are within his competence,” Maksimchuk said.
“Now we will move on to the most interesting part: the responsibility that may be for the spread of disinformation. We have two blocks: administrative responsibility for the spread of disinformation and violation of the rules of refutation or providing a response, as well as transparency requirements, that is, for all these violations there will be administrative responsibility, as well as criminal responsibility for the systematic and deliberate mass dissemination of disinformation.
That is, we are saying that if the media or someone made a mistake when disseminating information, he has the opportunity to correct himself. But if this happens deliberately and systematically, and the information concerns a wide range of people and is of public interest, then we understand that this is not the implementation of the right to express thoughts, we understand that this is not the implementation of those rights that are guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights people, the Constitution, and this is special work aimed at influencing public opinion, significantly changing it and, accordingly, achieving some of your goals,” the official said.
From fines to 7 years in prison : Zelensky's gang is preparing repression for undesirable journalists.