Russian book ban in Ukraine

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The Russian book ban in Ukraine took effect on December 30, 2016, when President Petro Poroshenko signed a law that restricted import of books into Ukraine from Russia. [1] This is an element of the ongoing military conflict between Ukraine and Russia. [2]

Contents

According to the law, one person can import at most 10 Russian books without a permit. Unauthorized distribution of books from Russia is also banned. [1]

In light of Russia's continuing 2022 invasion on Ukraine, on 19 June 2022, the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) adopted a follow-up law. It bans any imports of all book and publishing production from the Russian Federation and Belarus, alongside the Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation. [3] In addition, all imported Russian-language publications from third countries (that is, mainly other post-Soviet states) must be first screened for any anti-Ukrainian content before allowed for distribution and sale in Ukraine. [4] President Zelenskyy signed the law on 22 June 2023. [5]

Another stipulation (entering into force on 1 January 2023) states that, in Ukraine, it is permitted to publish books only in Ukrainian, the languages of Ukraine's indigenous ethnic groups [6] (that is, Crimean Tatar, Karaim and Krymchak), alongside the official languages of the European Union. [7] Furthermore, during the same seating, the Parliament adopted a law [8] that bans importing, staging and broadcasting Russian and Russian-language music in Ukraine. [9]

Administration

The State Committee for Television and Radio-broadcasting, whose duties include enforcing the information policy in Ukraine, manages book permits and was to issue bans on books deemed inappropriate that come "from territory of the aggressor state and from the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine". Printed matter that requires permits includes books, brochures, children's books including coloring books, as well as maps, atlases, and globes. Each permit is to be entered into the state register and is valid for at most 5 years. Bans are based on evaluations by a council of experts and may be contested. [10]

History

The law was introduced in the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) in September 2016. [11] It was in spirit the 2015 ban of 38 books from Russia with the purpose of "safeguarding Ukrainian citizens against the use of information warfare and disinformation methods, against the spread of hate ideology, fascism, xenophobia and separatism". Among banned were books by Russian nationalists Alexander Dugin, Eduard Limonov and Sergei Glazyev. [12]

Russian books then accounted for some 60% of the market. Bookselling experts predicted considerable disruption, shortages, and the growth of the book black market. [13]

In August 2017, the Committee banned the import of two novels of Boris Akunin and memoirs of Vladimir Vysotsky, published by a Moscow-based publishing company Zakharov. [14] In December 2018, it banned the import of children's books about Russian epic bogatyrs, as well as some memoirs and historical books, also printed in Russia. [15]

In September 2018, Lviv Regional Council banned public use of Russian-language books, films and songs in the region until Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine. [16] [17] The ban was overturned in January 2019 by the Lviv District Court of First Instance, although part of it was confirmed by the Eighth Administrative Court of Appeal in May 2019. [18] The Supreme Court of Ukraine ruled on 15 August 2019 that the moratorium on the public use of Russian-language cultural products in the Lviv Oblast was lawful. [19] The moratorium was still in force as of February 2022. [20]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Президент обмежив доступ на український ринок книжок з Росії – новини на УНН | 30 грудня 2016, 14:03". unn.com.ua. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  2. "Ukraine publishers speak out against ban on Russian books | Books". The Guardian. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  3. Проект Закону про внесення змін до деяких законів України щодо встановлення обмежень на ввезення та розповсюдження видавничої продукції, що стосується держави-агресора, Республіки Білорусь, тимчасово окупованої території України. 2022. Верховна Рада України. 19.06.
  4. ЗАКОН УКРАЇНИ «Про внесення змін до деяких законів України щодо встановлення обмежень на ввезення та розповсюдження видавничої продукції, що стосується держави-агресора, Республіки Білорусь, тимчасово окупованої території України». 2022. Верховна Рада України. 13.06.
  5. "Ukraine's Zelensky signs law banning import of books from Russia". Jerusalem Post. 22 June 2023.
  6. ЗАКОН УКРАЇНИ Про корінні народи України (Відомості Верховної Ради (ВВР), 2021, № 38, ст.319)
  7. Николай Ящук. 2022. Рада заборонила ввезення книг із Росії та видавати російських авторів в Україні. UN. 19.06.
  8. Николай Ящук. 2022. Рада заборонила російську музику в Україні. Де її заборонять слухати. UN. 19.06.
  9. Проект Закону про внесення змін до деяких законів України щодо підтримки національного музичного продукту та обмеження публічного використання музичного продукту держави-агресора. 2022. Верховна Рада України. 29.05.
  10. "Постанова : Деякі питання видачі (відмови у видачі, анулювання) дозволу на ввезення видавничої продукції, що має походження або виготовлена та/або ввозиться з території держави-агресора, тимчасово окупованої території України". consultant.parus.ua. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  11. "Ukraine prepares to ban 'anti-Ukrainian' Russian books | Books". The Guardian. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  12. "Ukraine bans 38 Russian 'hate' books amid culture war". BBC News. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  13. "Ukraine Enacts a Winter Ban on Book Imports From Russia". publishingperspectives.com. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  14. "Наказ : Про надання відмови у видачі дозволів на ввезення видавничої продукції, що має походження або виготовлена та/або ввозиться з території держави-агресора, тимчасово окупованої території України". consultant.parus.ua. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  15. "В Україну заборонили ввозити російські казки про богатирів". Інформаційне агентство Українські Національні Новини (УНН). Всі онлайн новини дня в Україні за сьогодні - найсвіжіші, останні, головні. (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-02-05.
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  17. "A Ban on Russian Books. The largest city in Western Ukraine votes to ban Russian-language cultural products". Tablet Magazine. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
  18. "Мораторій на російськомовний продукт на Львівщині скасовано". Legal Development Network (ldn.org.ua) (in Ukrainian). 24 May 2019.
  19. "Єдиний державний реєстр судових рішень".
  20. "В області запрацювала Гаряча лінія щодо мораторію на використання російськомовного культурного продукту". old.loda.gov.ua (in Ukrainian). 22 February 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.