Critics say a new media law signed by Zelensky could curtail press freedom in Ukraine.

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Lawmakers who passed the bill said it would help meet European Union membership requirements, but journalists denounced it as a move toward censorship.

Anouchka Patil | New York Times

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday signed into law a bill that expands the government’s regulatory power over the news media, a move journalists’ organizations say could erode press freedom in the country.

While some of the law’s tougher provisions have been relaxed in response to criticism, serious concerns about the regulator’s independence remain, domestic and international news groups said on Friday, noting they were examining still the details of the 279-page final legislation. .

The law extends the authority of Ukraine’s state broadcasting regulator to cover online and print news media. Previous versions gave the regulator the power to amend news media, revoke their licenses, temporarily block certain online media without a court order, and require social media platforms and search giants like Google to remove content that breaks the law, Ukrainian media reported.

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