KIEV, Ukraine –- The Ukraine government has established a department that critics are calling the “Ministry of Truth” — borrowing a term from George Orwell's classic dystopian novel 1984.
Officially called the Ministry of Information Policy, the new office will be headed by Yuriy Stets, head of the Information Security Department of the National Guard of Ukraine. A close ally to President Petro Poroshenko, Stets was formerly chief producer of the TV channel that Poroshenko sill owns.
While its main objective appears to be confronting Russia’s formidable propaganda machine, the Ministry is likely to also restrict free speech and inhibit journalists' work — particularly in war-torn eastern Ukraine, according to observers.
At a demonstration outside parliament, Ukrainian journalists decried the new ministry, which deputies approved in the Verkhovna Rada late on Tuesday, along with the rest of the country’s Cabinet of Ministers.
About 40 journalists and activists from Ukrainian watchdog groups Chesno (Honest) and Stop Censorship! held posters that read “Hello, Big Brother." They urged lawmakers entering the parliament ahead of Tuesday’s session to vote against appointing Stets as its head.
Complete story at - Ukraine just created its own version of Orwell's 'Ministry of Truth'
There. That guy in the middle. The guy whose Facebook post is marked as the official start of EuroMaidan in 2013. He's watching his EuroMaidan dreams blow up in his face, just like many of us predicted they would. And surprisingly too, this story was posted in Kiev Post too. Looks like they're in favor of EuroMaidan until it starts to infringe on their areas of interest.
Officially called the Ministry of Information Policy, the new office will be headed by Yuriy Stets, head of the Information Security Department of the National Guard of Ukraine. A close ally to President Petro Poroshenko, Stets was formerly chief producer of the TV channel that Poroshenko sill owns.
While its main objective appears to be confronting Russia’s formidable propaganda machine, the Ministry is likely to also restrict free speech and inhibit journalists' work — particularly in war-torn eastern Ukraine, according to observers.
At a demonstration outside parliament, Ukrainian journalists decried the new ministry, which deputies approved in the Verkhovna Rada late on Tuesday, along with the rest of the country’s Cabinet of Ministers.
About 40 journalists and activists from Ukrainian watchdog groups Chesno (Honest) and Stop Censorship! held posters that read “Hello, Big Brother." They urged lawmakers entering the parliament ahead of Tuesday’s session to vote against appointing Stets as its head.
Shame,shame,shame - all I can call an idea of creating the Ministry of Truth.As a Channel 5 journo I am alarmed, ashamed, humiliated
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) December 2, 2014
Setting up the Ministry of Truth adds up to the feeling it's not right for a president to own any media. Anywhere.
— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) December 2, 2014
Complete story at - Ukraine just created its own version of Orwell's 'Ministry of Truth'
There. That guy in the middle. The guy whose Facebook post is marked as the official start of EuroMaidan in 2013. He's watching his EuroMaidan dreams blow up in his face, just like many of us predicted they would. And surprisingly too, this story was posted in Kiev Post too. Looks like they're in favor of EuroMaidan until it starts to infringe on their areas of interest.
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