Party of the Regions: Libel law withdrawn
Following the first day of a nationwide protest against a draft law which would recriminalize libel, and international condemnation of the move, the Party of the Regions MP who tabled it has announced he is recalling the bill
Vitaly Zhuravsky, Party of the Regions MP is reported on the Party of the Regions website as saying that he “has decided to recall his draft law”.
“Having weighed up all circumstances and prompted by State interests, I have taken the decision to recall my draft law. I understand that on the eve of the elections to the Verkhovna Rada any initiative is viewed at lease with fear and mistrust”.
This comes at the end of the first day of a major campaign nationwide against the draft bill which would have made it possible to imprison people for libel. The bill has been condemned both within Ukraine and from the democratic community.