The outgoing Minister of Information Ziad Makary ( center) sitting between the director of UNESCO in Beirut Constanza Farina (left) and the lawyer Toby Mendel. (Credit: UNESCO regional office website)
A new media bill, drafted by the caretaker Information Ministry in cooperation with UNESCO, could be submitted to Parliament soon.
In a press conference on Thursday, caretaker Information Minister Ziad Makari said the draft of the bill is ready for debate in Parliament. The proposal was drafted in response to new developments in the media landscape, largely related to the rise of social media in recent years..
The media laws currently in force, namely the 1962 press law and the 1994 audiovisual law, do not account for online media and social networks and have become obsolete.
Intended to regulate the media sector, the draft law makes a distinction between news media “which must be governed by a certain editorial line,” and social networks, which are exempt from this rule.
The reforms also propose the formation of an independent body to process complaints made against journalists before their referral to Lebanon’s Court of Publications..
Toby Mendel, a UNESCO human rights lawyer, explained yesterday that the ministry’s draft “reduces the possibility of court referrals in the event of a dispute,” which could offer more protection to journalists.
“We are proposing the creation of an independent board that will rule on problems and apply a code of conduct. Nevertheless, we expect the media not to use hate speech. Penalties under this regime are lighter, but complainants will still be able to take their case to court if they want to,” Mendel said.
“What we propose is already adopted in many countries around the world and guarantees the protection of the media and respect for human rights,” he added.
Makari insisted on the eventual need “to get rid of the Publications Court.” “This kind of court almost does not exist in the world anymore,” he said. “It is necessary to have a modern law that guarantees freedom of expression and protection of journalists.”
Positive feedback
The initiative was launched last year and involved extensive consultations with parliamentarians, journalists, media owners, trade unionists, academics and civil society associations.
Makari told L’Orient-Le Jour that the proposal included updated versions of pre-existing laws..
The draft presented by the ministry was discussed with the country’s main political parties, who gave their approval, a source close to the file told L’Orient-Le Jour. The next step is to submit the draft to Parliament.
The Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Beirut, Costanza Farina, said she was confident that the MP’s would pass the draft. “We received very positive feedback on the draft. I think it is time to enact this law,” she said.
This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour. Translation by Joelle El Khoury.