**Ukraine’s Parliament to Vote on Bill to Limit State Secrets Leaks**
Ukraine’s parliament is set to vote on December 3 on a new law that proposes up to eight years of imprisonment for accessing or disseminating confidential state register information during martial law. The bill has been criticized by Ukrainian media and human rights organizations, who say it will curb freedom of speech.
**Concerns Over Free Speech**
Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center’s executive board, said that the bill is an attempt to hide government wrongdoing from investigative journalists. He added that not only would the law suppress information, but also imprison those who help journalists by providing sources.
**Investigative Journalism at Risk**
Recent investigations that have exposed corruption in Ukraine could have been considered illegal and carried harsh sentences for journalists or their sources if the new law had been in place earlier. This has sparked concerns about the impact on investigative journalism in Ukraine.
**International Pressure**
Representatives of the European Union and G7 have appealed to parliament’s leadership, requesting a postponement of the vote to assess its compliance with EU law. However, it is unclear whether the scheduled vote will take place.
**Current Legislation vs New Bill**
The current legislation carries minor punishment for the illegal dissemination of nonpublic register information. The new bill would designate this activity as a more severe type of violation and give law enforcement additional powers for carrying out investigations against sources and journalists suspected of violating the law, including secret wiretapping.
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