Law allowing media ban without court decision takes effect in Ukraine

MOSCOW (AA) - A controversial law giving the government authority to ban media without a court ruling came into force in Ukraine on Friday.

The law, worked out by the ruling Servant of the People party, expands powers of the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting, which becomes a single regulator of mass media.

The regulator gets the right to send mandatory instructions to editorial offices of all media outlets, fine all types of media, prohibit the work of online media for a period of 14 days without a court decision, and cancel the registration of print publications.

The watchdog also received the right to demand that providers block access to internet publications without a court decision, require YouTube and Facebook to delete any material, and ask Google to delete information from search results.

The authority can also regulate the work of cable and online TV operators.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on Kyiv to reconsider the new legislation, and "to start a broad inclusive dialogue with journalists’ unions and the media sector."

"Media freedom and pluralism are at stake in Ukraine under the law ‘On Media’," the IFJ said in a statement on its website.