MPs okey to fine TV channels for inciting religious hatred

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine gave its permission to the National Tele and Radio Broadcasting Council to fine TV channels irrespective of whether the offender has been warned with a sanction or not. It is reported by Rupor.Info

All in all, 236 Members of Parliament voted for the respective draft law #4815 in the second reading.

Pursuant to the document, which amends the Law “On Television and Radio Broadcasting”, the National Council can adopt a decision on imposing a fine in the event of such violations as calls to forced change of the constitutional order of Ukraine; launching a war, aggressive behavior or its propaganda; stirring up national, racial or religious hostility and hatred or disregard for the national honor and dignity; promotion of exclusiveness, superiority or inferiority of persons based on their religious beliefs, ideology, affiliation to a whichever nation or race, physical or property state, social origin.

Additionally, there is introduced a procedure of defining the size of punitive sanctions for TV and radio institutions and their application by the TV National Council. Calculation of the amount of fines will be made according to the accrued amount of the license fee for issuance of a license.