The President has signed the Law On Introduction of Amendments to Criminal Code (regarding improvement of protection of professional activities of journalists)”, aimed at constitutional protection of certain democratic principles of the public life.

As UNIAN reported in the press-service of the President, the law improves the legislative base and eliminates the faults of legislative regulation of questions, related to the current legal remedy for ensuring protection of professional activities of the journalists.

The law stipulates the responsibility for the illegal confiscation of materials, collected, processed, prepared by the journalist, and technical devices, which the journalist uses in connection with his professional activity.

The provisions of the Criminal Code, pursuant to which the responsibility for impeding the legal activity of the journalist, are also detailed.

As UNIAN reported, on February 4 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the law On Introducing Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine (regarding the improvement of protection of professional activities of journalists).

The law stipulates that the violation of privacy of correspondence, phone conversations, telegraphic or other correspondence, which are transferred by communication means or through computer, if it was done again or with regard to state and public men, journalists, or done by the official, or using special media, intended for unspoken information retrieval - is punished with deprivation of freedom for the period from 3 to 7 years.

In addition, it stipulates that the illegal confiscation of materials, collected and processed by the journalist,  and technical means, which he uses in connection with his professional activity, the illegal denial of the journalist’s access to information, the illegal ban to cover certain topics, to show certain individuals,  to criticize power entity as well as any other intentional obstruction of the journalist’s professional activity – are punished with the fine, amounting to 50  tax-exempt minimum wages of citizen, or the arrest for the period up to 6 months, or the deprivation of freedom for the period up to 3 years.

Any form of influence on the journalist with the purpose of obstruction of fulfillment of his professional duties or the pursuit of the journalist in connection with his legal professional activity is punished with the fine, amounting to 200 tax-exempt minimum wages of citizens, or the arrest for the period up to 6 months, or the deprivation of freedom for the period up to 4 years. 

Actions, stipulated by the second part of Art. 171, if they are done by the official, abusing its position of authority, or by previous concert of the group of persons, are punished with the fine, amounting to 200-500 tax-exempt minimum wages of citizens or the deprivation of freedom for the period up to 5 years with or without deprivation of the right to occupy certain positions or perform certain activities for the period up to 3 years.