Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Valeria Lutkovska has slammed a bill banning the promotion of homosexuality and introducing criminal liability for the violation of such a ban, which was adopted at first reading, and invited MPs to make some changes to the document.

"While trying to ban the 'promotion of homosexuality,' this bill gives no definition of this term, thus violating the requirement of the legal definition of the norms of law, which follows from the constitutional principles of the rule of law (Article 8) and equality before the law (Article 24)," she said in an open letter to Ukrainian MPs on Wednesday.

As reported, on October 2 the Verkhovna Rada passed at first reading a bill amending some legal documents regarding protection of children's right to safe information space. Some 289 of the 350 MPs registered in the sitting hall supported the bill.

The authors of the draft law propose to introduce responsibility for actions that propagate homosexual relations, abuse of freedom of speech in the printed media, and the propagation of homosexuality on television and radio.

In addition, the authors of the document propose to add to the article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine on punishments for the import, production or distribution of products propagating violence, cruelty, racial, national or religious intolerance and discrimination a relevant provision on responsibility for the propagation of homosexuality.