A step to liberate the media or to control it? Legislative initiative sparking a battle inside and outside Tunisia's parliament

It raises a legislative initiative in Tunisia submitted by the Dignity Coalition bloc in Parliament, and relates to new mechanisms to regulate the media scene;

Various reactions reached the extent of President Qais Saeed and the government, between those who see it as a step to liberalize the media, and those who consider it unconstitutional and open to chaos.

Ennahda and the Heart of Tunis supports the legislative initiative presented by the Dignity Coalition bloc, relating to the revision of Decree 116 of 2011 regulating the media sector and the powers of the Audiovisual Communication Authority (HICA), which was created by virtue of the decree.

Meanwhile, creating a media organization that they like to see is like creating a monument like a standard screech in all the alleys, avenues, streets and on the airport road ...

Posted by Ghofrane Hseini on Monday, October 19, 2020

The legislative initiative relates to the abolition of the requirement to obtain prior licenses from "Haika" to establish radio and television channels, as well as new conditions related to the composition of the commission, the duration of its work, and the method of renewing its members.

Reciprocal accusations, and

after a tumultuous session yesterday evening in Parliament, and mutual accusations among its deputies, consideration of the Dignity Coalition project was postponed indefinitely, and journalists demonstrated in front of Parliament against the revision of Decree 116 regulating the audiovisual scene, confirming their intention to engage in all forms of escalation.

The Journalists Syndicate accused the Prime Minister, Hisham Al-Mashishi, of colluding with the blocs supporting the passage of the initiative, by taking the day before the voting session to withdraw the draft law on freedom of audiovisual communication presented by the previous government as an alternative to the initiative of the Dignity Coalition.

A member of the Executive Office of the Journalists Syndicate, Abdul Raouf Bali, warned in his speech to Al Jazeera Net of the danger of passing the Dignity Coalition initiative on the media scene, which opens the way for the chaotic spread of channels with extremist and unethical orientations, according to him.

And Bali considered that Decree 116 regulating the audiovisual scene organized, in clear terms, provisions for the process of establishing any media organization.

Good morning, the stand of women and men, members and members of the Assembly of the Representatives of the People yesterday in the battle of suspicious revisions to Decree 116, hope returned ...

Posted by Bghouri Neji on Wednesday, October 21, 2020

He warned that passing the initiative today or tomorrow will clear the way for corrupt money to penetrate and for parties supported by foreign parties to control the media, making it hostage to their political agendas.

The Audiovisual Communication Authority held the Prime Minister - in an open letter I addressed to him today - responsible for any "attempt to undermine freedom of expression and information, or harm the state’s sovereignty and national security, the integrity of all sector institutions and workers, or undermine the democratic transition path."

And considered that the revision of the decree under the pretext of liberalizing the media sector aims to achieve partisan quotas in the composition of the commission, in a way that limits its independence and powers, and to seize control of the media by influential parties.

Journalists warned of the danger of passing the revisions in Parliament (Al-Jazeera Net)

The president warns and the prime minister warns,

and the president of the republic warned during his meeting yesterday, Tuesday, with the minister in charge of relations with parliament, Ali al-Hafsi, of the danger of any legislative initiative proposed for the provisions of the constitution or its submission to the calculations and interests of political and media parties and pressure groups (lobbies).

The Prime Minister, Hisham Al-Mashishi, expressed his support for the draft bill submitted by the Dignity Coalition Bloc, saying - during a local media statement - that his government supports any initiative aimed at liberating the media and ensuring more freedom and independence.

In his interview with Al-Jazeera Net, independent MP Adnan Ibrahim acknowledges the deterioration of the media scene in Tunisia, and the dependence of some channels on influential political parties and pressure groups, but indicated - in return - that the draft amendment to Decree 116 will not contribute to reforming the media scene.

The deputy accused the prime minister of submitting to pressure from some parliamentary blocs, which represent his new political belt, when he withdrew the draft law on freedom of audiovisual communication presented by the previous government as an alternative to the initiative of the Dignity Coalition.

We wasted nine years of the revolution's life, when the cold, "wise" politicians were cowardly by confronting the lobbies of media tyranny!

And this turned out ...

Posted by Aloui Abdellatif on Monday, October 19, 2020

In his speech to Al-Jazeera Net, the leader in "Heart of Tunisia" denounces Jawhar Al-Mugharibi, the refusal of some parties to amend Circular 116 on the pretext that canceling the licensing requirement to establish television channels will lead to chaos and make the sector hostage to internal and external political agendas.

Abdel Karim Harouni: Ennahda will vote with the revision of Decree 116, which will liberalize the media. We should not be afraid of freedom, because fear of it is afraid that it will return us to tyranny.

Posted by Abdelkarim Harouni (page officielle) on Tuesday, October 20, 2020

He stressed that the same accusations were leveled against "Haika" by several parties, and accused of serving certain parties, indicating that this amendment structure has become a restriction on the freedom of the media and investment in the audiovisual field, and pointed out that since its focus in 2011, no license has been granted to establish a single TV channel. .

On the other hand, the Democratic Current bloc in Parliament announced a new legislative initiative related to re-depositing the audiovisual communication law, which was withdrawn by the Prime Minister.

After deliberating with our parliamentary bloc, we decided, in the Democratic Movement, to submit a legislative initiative related to the audio communication law ...

Posted by Ghazi Chaouachi - Ghazi Chaouachi on Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Its Secretary General Ghazi Shawashy said in a blog post that the prime minister's move "opened the way for a draft law that was tailored to the size of some parties and lobbies and their channels that violate the law."