Discussion “Freedom of speech vs propaganda”
White hall, Cinema House
The issue of freedom of speech and propaganda has become more crucial in the times of military conflict. Public opinion has split into two broad camps. On the one hand, the following questions arise: Should the state limit the freedom of speech and throw its efforts into propaganda? What would be the outcome? In what way such policy might relate to Ukraine’s international obligations?
On the other hand, why freedom of speech is ‘dangerous’? Doesn’t such a statement speak for the fact that the state turns into a Big Brother? If so, what measures should be taken by a civil society to avoid such threat?
The discussion is aimed to present arguments from both camps and find answers to the abovementioned questions.
Participants: Viktoria Syumar, member of Verkhovna Rada, Head of the Freedom of Speech and Information Policy Committee;
Antonina Cherevko, international development advisor, media expert;
Tetyana Kotyuzhynska, legal expert on media, member of the Journalist Ethics Committee; Nastya Stanko, journalist at Hromadske.TV;
Mykola Kozyrev, Chairman of the Board at Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union;
Oleksandra Matviychuk, human rights advocate, Civil Rights Center;
Serhiy Leshchenko, member of Verkhovna Rada;
Oksana Romanyuk, media expert, Chief Executive at Institute of Mass Information.
Moderator: Natalya Sokolenko, journalist at Hromadske Radio.
Organizers: Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, NGO Center UA