The European Party of Ukraine, April 8th, 2016 Kyiv
• Based on the research of FREEDOM HOUSE in the world press freedom ranking for 2015, according to which Ukraine ranks 128th place after Uganda, Kenya and Macedonia;
• Taking into account the findings of the International human rights organization “Reporters without Borders” that published the World press freedom index for 2015, according to which Ukraine took 129th place, compared to 127 in 2014;
• Noting that civil society is losing leverage to protect the freedom of speech and independence of media, as it is exemplified by the opening of criminal cases against the Savik Shuster Studio (TV 3S TV), Savik Shuster deprivation of right to engage in labor activity in Ukraine, repeated attempts to foreclose broadcast channel “112 Ukraine” and so on,
The European Party of Ukraine, as a full member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe appeals to the ALDE fraction in the European Parliament with the demand to conduct the debate in the building of the European Parliament on issues of freedom of speech in Ukraine, development and adoption of the relevant resolution, aimed to assess the state of freedom of speech and media in Ukraine and should contain the following items for Ukraine:
1. Creation of a sanction list of Ukrainian officials who violate the right to freedom of speech in Ukraine and forbid the members of this list to visit Schengen countries;
2. Inclusion of members of the Rescue Committee of Freedom of Speech in Ukraine to community councils of the state government;
3. Immediate cancellation of the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on postponing to June 2017 introduction of digital television in Ukraine;
4. Non-interference by public authorities in the work of media, concerning the formation of the content and forms of presentation;
5. Introduction of a moratorium on carrying out any checks by the authorities of the media, regardless of ownership over the next five years;
6. Adoption of a special law on private media, aimed to provide inability of their sole possession to minimize the impact of the owner on editorial policy;
7. Conduction of the immediate and transparent investigation into all cases of violence and death of journalists;
8. The immediate abolition of regulations and practices that allows of-court closure of media outlets and termination of broadcasting;
9. Adoption without any further delay of amendments to the law, concerning fines or compensation for slander and decriminalization of slander;
10. Creation of equal conditions for the functioning of all media;
11. Stopping the pressure on media through the leverages of printing and distribution;
12. Promotion of public broadcasting to ensure public counterbalance to private media;
13. Providing a communication system that is fundamental to the existence of a developed democracy in the triangle «society – media – power»;
14. Fighting against monopolization of media markets, market distribution channels and broadcasters across multiple large and smaller media groups;
15. Providing an equal access to information across the country.
Press service of the European Party of Ukraine