President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed a law establishing criminal liability for acts of antisemitism. The information is available in the document record on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The law amends Article 161 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine by adding the term “acts of antisemitism.” This is defined as a separate form of discrimination directed against Jews as an ethnic or religious group.

Depending on the circumstances, the article provides for various penalties, ranging from fines to imprisonment for up to eight years. It covers actions aimed at inciting national, racial, or religious hatred, as well as the humiliation or insult of citizens’ religious beliefs. The provision also prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, skin color, political or religious beliefs, gender, disability, ethnic or social origin, property status, place of residence, or language.

The bill was initiated by a group of Members of Parliament from the “Servant of the People” party.

The explanatory note stated that the document was intended to align the Criminal Code with the Law “On the Prevention and Combating of Antisemitism in Ukraine,” which was adopted by Parliament in 2021.

The Verkhovna Rada supported the bill in February 2022 and sent it to the President for signature.