LOC17:27
14:27 GMT
BRUSSELS, Jan 12 (KUNA) -- The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) Thursday called on the Ukrainian government to revise a new controversial law saying it endangers press freedom in the country.
In a press release, the IFJ said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed into law a controversial bill that expands the government's power to control the media, endangering press freedom and media pluralism in the country.
The law 'On Media', was approved on 13 December 2022 and signed in to law by Zelensky on 29 December.
IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger warned that the law will have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.
"We are extremely concerned about the authoritarian drift of the Ukrainian government towards the media and journalists. While the new legislation is intended to implement the European Directive, it could create systemic problems for democracy in Ukraine as it expands state control over the media,"Bellanger stated.
"We are calling on the government to rewrite the law, and open a discussion with journalists' organizations and the media. There cannot be a democracy without independent journalism," he added.
The Brussels-based IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries. (end)
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