Albania: EFJ/IFJ urge Parliament to reject online media law

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Originally published on: EFJ/IFJ

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that Parliament will vote on the so-called “anti-defamation package” on 19 December. The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ/IFJ) backed calls of their affiliate in Albania (APJA) to reject the two draft laws threatening freedom of expression and media freedom.
If adopted, amendments to the Law on Audiovisual Media and the Law on Electronic Communications would grant government bodies, the Albanian Media Authority (AMA) and Albanian Communication and Postal Authorities (AKEP), the power to instantly block media websites and impose excessive fines for any violations of dignity and privacy. It would also introduce mandatory registration requirements for online media.

The Association of Professional Journalists of Albania (APJA) warns that these new laws would give the regulatory bodies “quasi tribunal competences”. Although these bodies are independent by law, there are no guarantees they will operate independently in practice.

The fear of lack of independence and the excessive fines imposed without judicial control are among the worrying provisions flagged by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in its legal review published on 9 December. OSCE Media Freedom representative Harlem Désir warned that “such fines could lead to the closure of media and be seen as indirect pressure.”

In a joint statement, the EFJ along with 6 press freedom organisations noted “that the proposals are not in line with best practices on self-regulation and would have an adverse impact on freedom of expression in Albania.”

“We need self-regulation in Albania, not state-regulation of online media, said APJA Mimoza Kociu. Albania has enough laws to regulate such cases, the courts already ruled in the past. We reject any legislative provisions that would impose registration requirements and give regulators the power to block electronic media and impose fines. We simply ask for the withdrawal of the laws.”

Statement

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The Civil Society Organizations call upon the government of Albania to withdraw the two draft laws proposed to Parliament and showcased in public as the “Anti-Defamation Package”. We also call upon the Parliament of Albania that, in case that the government doesn’t withdraw the bills, to dismiss them without delays.

The importance that the freedom of expression has in a democratic society is reflected by the ample protection given to it in international law, both at global and in regional level, including in Article 19 of the The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on the article 19 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, the article 19 of the American Convention on Human Rights and as well, the article 10 of the European Convention on Human rights.

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution, approved about 230 years ago (in 14 December 1791) prevents the government from making laws which regulate an establishment of religion, prohibit the free exercise of religion, or abridge the freedom of speech, the freedom of the press, the right to peaceably assemble, or the right to petition the government for redress of grievances.

Signatory organizations note that the two draft-laws of the anti-defamation package provide for the Albanian Media Authority and Albanian Communication and Postal Authority, quasi-tribunal competences, of sanctioning nature against media outlets, while these bodies, although independent by definition in the law, provide no functional guarantees to operate independently in practice, as should are the courts.

Albania has enough laws to regulate cases when media violate the rights of others and in this context there are precedents judged in our courts.

The need to have self-regulation of the media and NO legal regulation of it, is a matter of special importance in countries in transition to democracy, as it is our country, where often media is connected with known interests of the businesses or political parties. Self-regulation is the combination of standards imposed by ethical codes of conduct for the media, which are necessary to support freedom of expression and to enable that this conduct is monitored and held accountable. Self-regulation preserves the independence of the media and protects it from the partisan interventions of the government.

The signatories call upon international bodies, (such as OSCE, EU or Council of Europe), which presence in Albania contributes to the rule of law and human rights, to take a clear and public stance regarding these two draft laws, as initiatives that violate freedom of expression.

List of signatories:

BIRN Albania
Civil Rights Defenders
Citizens Channel
Faktoje
Instituti Shqiptar i Medias
Instituti Shqiptar i Shkencave
Këshilli Shqiptar i Medias
Komiteti shqiptar i Helsinkit
Lidhja e Gazetarëve të Shqipërisë
New Media Network
Qendra Res Publica
Qendra Shqiptare MediaLook
Qendra Shqiptare për Gazetari Cilësore
Shoqata e Gazetarëve Profesionistë të Shqipërisë
UnioniiGazetarëve Shqiptarë

Deklaratë

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Organizatat e shoqërisë civile i bëjnë thirrje qeverisë të tërheqë dy projektligjet që i janë propozuar Kuvendit, të prezantuara publikisht si Paketa Antishpifje. Gjithashtu i bëjmë thirrje Kuvendit të Shqipërisë që, në rast se qeveria nuk i tërheq këto projektligje, t’i rrëzojë ato menjëherë.

Rëndësia që ka liria e shprehjes në një shoqëri demokratike reflektohet në mbrojtjen e gjerë që i jepet asaj në legjislacionin ndërkombëtar, në nivel global dhe rajonal, përfshi këtu nenin 19 të Deklaratës Universale të të Drejtave të Njeriut, nenin 19 të Paktit Ndërkombëtar për të Drejtat Civile dhe Politike, nenin 19 të Konvetës Amerikane për të Drejtat e Njeriut, nenin 10 të Konventës Evropiane të të Drejtave të Njeriut, etj.

Amendamenti i parë në Kushtetutën e Shteteve të Bashkuara, i miratuar rreth 230 vite më parë (në 15 Dhjetor të vitit 1791) ndalon qeverinë të bëjë ligje që rregullojnë krijimin e feve, ndalojnë ushtrimin e lirisë fetare, që kufizojnë lirinë e shprehjes, lirinë e shtypit, të drejtën për të mbledhur paqësisht si dhe të drejtën e peticionit ndaj qeverisë për të kërkuar kompensim.

Organizatat vërejnë se dy projektligjet pjesë e paketës antishpifje, i akordojnë AMAs dhe AKEP-it, kompetenca gati gjyqësore, me natyrë sanksionuesendaj operatorëve mediatikë, ndërkohë që këto organe, edhe pse të pavarura sipas ligjit nuk ofrojnë garanci funksionale për të qenëefektivisht të pavarura, sikurse janë organet e pushtetit gjyqësor.

Shqipëria ka mjaftueshëm ligje që rregullojnë çështjet kur media shkel të drejtat e të tjerëve dhe çdo ndërhyrje tjetër, si dhe në këtë drejtim ka patur disa precedentë të gjykuar në sistemin tonë gjyqësor.

Nevoja për të patur vetërregullim të medias dhe JO rregullim ligjor të saj, merr rëndësi të veçantë në ato shtete me demokraci në tranzicion, sikurse është vendi ynë, ku shpesh mediat janë të lidhura me interesat e njohura të biznesit, të partive politike. Vetërregullimi është kombinim i standarteve që përcakton kodet e duhura të sjelljes për median, të cilat janë të nevojshme për të mbështetur lirinë e shprehjes dhe për të mundësuar që kjo sjellje të monitorohet dhe të mbahet e përgjegjshme. Vetërregullimi ruan pavarësinë e mediave dhe e mbron atë nga ndërhyrjet partizane të qeverisë.

Organizatat i bëjnë thirrje organizatave ndërkombëtare (të tilla si OSBE, BE apo Këshilli i Europës), prezenca e të cilave kontribuon në vendin tonë për sundimin e shtetit të së drejtës dhe të drejtave të njeriut, të shprehen qartë dhe publikisht mbi projektligjet në fjalë, si masa në dhunim të lirisë së shprehjes.

Lista e organizatave firmëtare:
Lista e organizatave
BIRN Albania
Civil Rights Defenders
Citizens Channel
Faktoje
Instituti Shqiptar i Medias
Instituti Shqiptar i Shkencave
Këshilli Shqiptar i Medias
Komiteti Shqiptar i Helsinkit
Lidhja e Gazetarëve të Shqipërisë
New Media Network
Qendra Res Publica
Qendra Shqiptare MediaLook
Qendra Shqiptare për Gazetari Cilësore
Shoqata e Gazetarëve Profesionistë të Shqipërisë
Unioni i Gazetarëve Shqiptarë

Declaration of Concern About the Government Attitude Towards Media

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The Albanian Media Council is following with concern the Albanian Government’s latest actions on media in the emergency situation of the aftermath of the 26 November earthquake.
The first case of concern, relates to an Order sent to online portals that states: “WE URGENTLY REQUEST the publication of the attached information as required in the letter of the Ministry of Defense …” “as a requirement of Law 45/2019″ On Civil Protection ” “”.

screenshot i Urdhëresës së AKEP-it

screenshot i Urdhëresës së AKEP-it

AMC reminds the government that this order is unconstitutional because the law it refers to, only applies to TV and Radio (whose operate in the bandwidth owned by the state and their licenses are granted by the government), and not to the world wide web, which is a global, public, free space.
AMC encourages the portals to publish all the information that might help easing the civil emergency situation, but reminds the government that it can NOT order any news portal to do so, especially enforcing it through AKEP (The Agency that manages DOT.AL domains), an agency unrelated to the law in question.
The second case of concern is the blocking in Facebook of an editorial of the Dita Online Newspaper by Government. The government cannot block critic voices, especially on the pretext of a state of emergency.
The third case of concern is about the block of access to the JOQ portal in Albania, an act that is illegal. The government cannot prohibit citizens or portals from denouncing the mismanagement of the situation (where it exists) and, furthermore, cannot block an entire portal for a single publication. The JOQ case clearly reflects what will happen to the media in the future if the Government passes the infamous so-called “anti-defamation” law. The government has the right to prosecute anyone who has violated the laws, even in the context of a state of emergency, but cannot close no media through AKEP or any other instruments it possess without a court ruling.
The media must contain the possible spread of fake news. The media have a duty to guard against the publication of unverified news that may spread panic especially in this situation. Any news or reporting during this period, must be very accurately verified before it is transmitted as true. Not every quote, even by seismologists, should be published if the words spread panic.
Also, the media should avoid using bombastic terminology such as “fear”, “horror”, “apocalyptic”, etc., because these terms do not express facts but merely the opinions of reporters.
On the other hand, the Government should not interpret the situation as a reason to exert censorship on the media, such as the case of the Dita Online newspaper and the closure of JOQ.
First, the Government should make public which office and responsible persons are in charge of media monitoring in this situation, and, most importantly, the Government should make clear what are the topics it requires the media to be careful under the emergency situation.
This is important so that the state of emergency cannot be used to selectively target and censor the media.
The government also cannot arrest citizens merely for republishing news, as was the case of a girl who reposted a news story from an Italian portal on Porto Romano deposits.
The best way to calm the public in this situation is not through media closure, but through transparency of the Government itself, through a serious, rigorous and continuous flow of information on the situation, including that of deposits in Porto Romano.
But as long as the Government only allows ERTV cameras to report the Government meetings, it means that it is blocking the access of all media to accurately report on the situation. Blocking information and replacing it with propaganda helps neither calm the public nor manage the panic. Therefore, blame should not be sought on citizens who seek for information wherever they can, as long as their government does not provide it.
By calling once again on the media to show utmost seriousness and restraint in reporting unverified news, the AMC hopes that the Albanian Government will improve its relation with media in the context of this state of emergency.
The Albanian Media Council, the journalists and media it represents, URGENTLY urge the Government not to copycat the notorious Erdogan case that used the post-coup situation to attack, arrest, shut down and hit critical media; to silence independent opinions; and to install the dictatorship of thought.