OSCE concerned about Ukraine's adoption of restrictive legislation against journalists

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

VIENNA - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Freimut Duve on July 15 expressed dismay over the decision by the Ukrainian Parliament to outlaw the protection of journalists' sources. On July 9 the Verkhovna Rada adopted a law that also allows for the detention of journalists suspected of revealing state secrets.

"This law, which changes certain aspects of existing Ukrainian law, will, I believe, give excessive power to the Ukrainian security service, including the right to obtain information regarding journalists' sources," Mr. Duve said in a letter to Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Anatolii Zlenko.

The law also provides for the Ukrainian security service to arrest journalists who have been investigating issues related to state secrets and who intend to publish this information.

"It is ominous that your country, where the media situation has been steadily deteriorating for the past five years, should decide at this point to approve a highly restrictive law that would have a chilling effect on the work of journalists, especially those investigating corruption," wrote the media representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Mr. Duve said he supports proposals by the International Federation of Journalists to take up this matter with the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the General Affairs Council of the European Union.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 27, 2003, No. 30, Vol. LXXI

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