**The law on identifying lawyers with their clients, passed by Parliament on July 16th, is not in line with European law, according to the Council of Europe, who is calling on Zelenskyy to veto the document.** Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech, reported this after requesting an expert opinion from the Council of Europe’s Department for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. The Department’s conclusion stated the following: * The law contains risks of restricting freedom of speech and is not consistent with Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. * There is a risk of self-censorship and a “chilling effect.” Ukraine could face a crackdown on legitimate journalistic activity and public oversight in high-profile cases. * Non-compliance with international legal standards. For example, the 2025 Council of Europe Convention does not prohibit treating lawyers as equal to their clients. However, it prohibits intimidation, harassment, or obstruction based on such treatment. “The fine ranges from UAH 3,400 to UAH 5,100 for individuals and from UAH 5,100 to UAH 6,800 for officials. I can already imagine the ‘happiness’ of media workers who will now be forced to pay a fine to call a spade a spade. This is a great incentive to pursue political journalism and carry out their tasks impartially,” Yurchyshyn wrote. The head of the Committee on Freedom of Speech also reported that he had sent a parliamentary appeal to President Volodymyr Zelensky. “The law hasn’t yet been signed by the president. I’m hoping for a veto,” added Yaroslav Yurchyshyn.