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'De-communisation' law comes into force in Ukraine

The documents recognise Ukraine’s Insurgent Army and other nationalist organizations as fighters for Ukraine’s independence

© Sergey Savostyanov/TASS

KIEV, May 20. /TASS/. A controversial law banning propaganda and symbols of "totalitarian Communist and Nazi regimes" came into force in Ukraine on Wednesday.

The law was adopted by the Ukrainian parliament on April 9 and signed by President Petro Poroshenko on May 15.

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Besides the legislation "on condemnation of the Communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes in Ukraine and prohibition of propaganda of their symbols", he also signed the laws "on access to archives of the agencies of repression of the Communist totalitarian regime 1917-1991", "on the perpetuation of victory over Nazism in World War Two 1939-1945, and "on the legal status and honouring of fighters for Ukraine’s independence in the 20th century".

"The documents outlaw Soviet symbols, condemn the Communist regime, open access to the archives of Soviet security services and recognise Ukraine’s Insurgent Army (UPA) and other organizations as fighters for Ukraine’s independence," Porosheko’s press service said.

The law does not ban state awards received before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, museum expositions and works of art created before the law came into force, as well as tombstones and reenactments of historic events.

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