February 01, 2020

Albania postponed shameful censorship laws

topic:	Freedom of Expression
located:	Albania
editor:	Katarina Panić

Albanian authorities have been forced to step back from controversial media laws after massive criticism from both local and international rights activists and media experts who called the initiative a shameful censorship package.

Back in October 2018, the government announced it will prepare a so-called anti-defamation package to regulate online media. Two months later Prime Minister Edi Rama introduced the first proposal of laws that allow state agencies to hear complaints about news sites, demand removing the content, impose hefty fines and even suspend their activity. The bills have been revised many times and repeatedly criticised ever since.

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the University of Oxford last month issued the report on journalism in Central and Eastern Europe, reminding that Prime Minister Rama frequently refers to journalists as rubbish bins. The opposition parties refer to the media as captured and bought.

After the parliament adopted the rules last December, President Ilir Meta used his powers to block them, saying they ruin constitutional foundations and violate freedom of speech. Ruling socialists wanted to overturn his veto in parliament last Friday, but suddenly they decided not to do so. Instead, they postponed a vote until the Council of Venice files its evaluation. This advisory body to the Council of Europe is expected to check the laws on March 21.

The opponents welcomed the withdrawal, calling it a small victory. The big one would be to prevent the establishment of a state body with the power to judge news content for matters of the dignity of citizens and privacy, to fine online outlets for not removing the material that the commission finds questionable, and to insert pop-ups on websites which broke the law. Instead, the media should be left to self-regulation as the most suitable democratic tool for independent media, alongside the courts.

Those who campaign say the laws are designed to protect individuals from unfounded online attacks, to discipline the online media, which were allegedly out of control, and to fight against fake news.

Dozens of Albanian rights and media organisations and international bodies, including the European and the International Federation of Journalists, European Commission, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UNDP, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, the International Press Institute, Reporters Without Borders and many more fight to keep online media free from state regulation.

“Critiques should not be considered defamatory”, they warn.

Image: Gerd Altmann / Pixabay