Zhelezniak says bill criticised over threat to journalists has been removed from consideration
MP Yaroslav Zhelezniak (Holos) said bill No. 10242, which provides for up to eight years in prison for using data from state registers during martial law, had been removed from the Verkhovna Rada’s agenda for this week. According to him, the decision followed negotiations with Andrii Motovylovets, first deputy head of the Servant of the People faction, and the parliamentary leadership.
As Censor.NET reports, Zhelezniak announced this on his Facebook page.
Bill No. 10242 removed from consideration following negotiations
Zhelezniak announced the agreement following negotiations with parliamentary representatives. He also noted that more than 1,500 amendments had been submitted during work on the bill.
"I can confirm that, following constructive negotiations with Andrii Motovylovets, first deputy head of the Servant of the People faction, and the parliamentary leadership, bill No. 10242 has been removed from consideration both tomorrow and for the rest of this week," the MP wrote.
The Verkhovna Rada had previously planned to consider the bill. It provides for up to eight years in prison for using data from state registers during martial law.
Vitalii Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, criticised the bill. In his view, it could pose a threat to investigative journalists who use register data to expose possible illicit enrichment by officials.
Shabunin warned of risks to journalists and their sources
Vitalii Shabunin said the bill’s provisions could allow journalists working with data from state registers, as well as their sources, to be held criminally liable.
According to him, this information helps journalists uncover property owned by officials’ relatives, MPs’ trips to Russia and assets that may be inconsistent with declared income.
Shabunin also noted that parliament had already rejected the bill twice, yet there were plans to bring it back for consideration.
