Rada Decides on Tougher Punishments for Crimes against Journalists

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The Verkhovna Rada has adopted a revised version of the draft law “On amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine concerning the strengthening of guarantees of the lawful professional activities of journalists.” It was voted for by 240 deputies.

The general idea of the bill is treating crimes against journalists and law enforcement officials as equivalent.

In particular, the murder or attempted murder of the journalist or their family members will be punished by imprisonment for 15 years to life.

The document adds a number of special offenses to the Criminal Code, including providing for criminal liability for such criminal acts as threats or violence against journalists (article 345-1), deliberate destruction or damage to the property of a journalist (article 347-1), attempts on the life of the journalist (article 348-1), and the capture of a journalist as a hostage (article 349-1).

In the case of the death of the journalist on duty, his family will receive a lump sum of a minimum of 100 months of a subsistence wage.

Appropriate additions have also been made to the Law “On state support of mass media and social protection of journalists.”