On April 14, 2026—symbolically observed as Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)—President Volodymyr Zelensky signed Law No. 2037-IX, officially amending the Criminal Code to explicitly criminalize “manifestations of antisemitism”.
This law not only fills a critical legal gap but positions Ukraine as the European country with the most severe statutory maximum penalties for hate crimes motivated by antisemitism, including prison terms of up to eight years. The new law integrates the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism into the penal code, ensuring that hate speech, denial of the Holocaust, and the use of antisemitic symbols are specifically recognized as criminal offenses.
Ukraine has set a new European precedent. By establishing a clear, IHRA-aligned definition and imposing a maximum sentence of 8 years—the highest statutory penalty on the continent—Ukraine demonstrates an uncompromising stance against hatred.