The Assembly of the Republic will begin its third ordinary session of the current legislative term on February 25, scheduled to end on May 8, with the agenda including debate on media and broadcasting bills, as well as the Attorney General’s annual report, Lusa reported on Monday, February 9.
In a statement, the Standing Committee announced that the session will include 15 items, among which is the draft law on the Higher Council for the Media, in the context of a review of the legal framework in force since 1991.
The media bill provides for the creation of the Media Regulatory Authority (ARCS), defined as “an independent legal entity under public law, with legal personality and technical, administrative, financial, and patrimonial autonomy,” with powers to regulate, supervise, inspect, and sanction bodies in the sector.
The bill also establishes criminal liability for crimes related to freedom of the press, stipulating that “in cases of dissemination via the Internet, the author of the content and the person responsible for the website and social media platform are jointly liable.”
With regard to crimes of defamation, the proposal stipulates that “proof of the truth of the facts shall not be admissible if the offended party is the President of the Republic or, where reciprocity applies, a foreign head of state or his representative in Mozambique,” introducing a significant change to the current legal regime.
The legal text also allows the State to acquire shares in private media outlets, establishing that, “based on criteria of public interest, the State may acquire shares in media outlets that are not part of the public sector or determine other forms of subsidy or support.” In addition to these matters, the session’s agenda includes Government Information and questions to the Government, information from the Committee on Petitions, Complaints, and Claims, proposed laws on religious freedom and worship, official publications, and principles for drafting State legislation, as well as information from the Parliamentary Office for the Prevention and Combating of HIV and AIDS and the revision of the Organic Law of the Assembly of the Republic.
