Parliament approves Kurdistan journalism law
Papers will not be shut down, more press freedom will be granted, and penalties against journalists will be reduced in the newly amended law.
Kurdistan parliament approved the journalism law in Monday's session after amending articles that had been criticized by Kurdish journalists.
"The parliament opened a wider door to freedom and the chance granted to journalists must be used to rebuild the country," said KRG Minister of Culture Falakaddin Kakaee at the end of the session.
Parliament speaker Adnan Mufti also expressed his approval: "Approving this law is a victory for parliament and for democracy and it is appropriate for our community. If we note defections in executing the law, we can amend it next year."
With attendance of Kakaee in the session, the parliamentary committees of legal affairs and cultural and relations presented their reports on the law and suggested amendments in articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10, which are related to closing newspapers, fining journalists, and the use of terms such as "public ethics" and "Region's security."
The journalism law, number 35 of Kurdistan parliament's 2007 laws, was brought to a vote on December 11 of last year and it was sent to the Kurdistan Region Presidency for ratification on December 28. But President Massoud Barzani rejected ratification of the law due to wide objections from Kurdistan media agencies and journalists, and it was returned to parliament on January 3, 2008. Parliament has been in continuous discussions on the journalism law until September 22, at which time it was brought to a vote...
Full story: http://www.kurdishglobe.net/displayArticle.jsp?id=2EC7211BEB16665E378F90C607C1276F
