Strasbourg, 21/09/2012 - The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Thorbjørn Jagland today issued the following statement:  " The Ukrainian Rada voted in first reading in favour of a law re-criminalising defamation. Ukraine has a vibrant media sector, but the mere threat of prosecution may create a chilling effect,  increase self-censorship and curtail media freedom.  Civil remedies and public dialogue would provide a far more appropriate defence against slander.