Ukrainian Parliament Bans Communist, Nazi Symbols

The parliament of Ukraine passed a bill, banning propaganda of Communist and Nazi regimes and their symbols.

KIEV (Sputnik) – The parliament of Ukraine passed a bill Thursday to ban propaganda of Communist and Nazi regimes and their symbols.

The initiative said:

“The Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) totalitarian regimes as criminal at the legislative level, imposing a ban on public denial of criminal nature of these totalitarian regimes and a ban on public use and propaganda of their symbols.”

The bill received 254 “yes” votes, slightly above the required minimum of 226 votes.

The law stipulates that propaganda of Soviet Communist and Nazi symbols by legal entities, political parties or media, may serve as grounds for registration refusal and closing down their practice.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian parliament also passed a bill to recognize the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UIA) organization as fighters for Ukrainian independence. The UIA fought against Soviet guerrillas as well as against Nazi occupation between 1943 and 1944.

Last week, Russian Foreign Ministry human rights ombudsman Konstantin Dolgov said that Kiev is mistakenly equating Soviet Communism with Nazism by "having prohibited the advocacy of both."

More banning: Nazi and communist symbols voted illegal in Ukraine. What about Aeroflot planes?http://t.co/SPn4PEp848 pic.twitter.com/dbooVz1ouZ

— Simon Kruse (@crusoes) 9 апреля 2015