Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree (No. 808/2019) to create the Council for Freedom of Speech and Protection of Journalists as a consulting and advisory agency under the president.
According to the decree posted in the president’s website on Wednesday, Zelensky ordered to form the Council in order “to ensure observation of the constitutional right to freedom of speech, build effective interaction between state agencies, the media, civil institutions, in particular to prevent obstruction of legal professional activities of journalists.”
The head of state by the same decree also approved the statute of the Council for Freedom of Speech and Protection of Journalists and its membership.
In addition, Zelensky ordered to declare void decree No. 61, signed by his predecessor Petro Poroshenko on February 23, 2016, on the Council for Protection of Professional Activities of Journalists and Freedom of Speech and related documents.
According to the decree signed by Zelensky, public activist Vadym Mysky will be appointed as secretary of the council. Members of the council include famous lawyers, editors, journalists, producers and public activists, including Natalia Vlaschenko, Pavlo Yelizarov, Svitlana Ostapa, Serhiy Tomilenko, and others.
