Kabul
Nov 5, 2013
The Afghan senate rejected the lower house decision that the information and culture minister should lead the Media Complaints Commission, suggesting the panel’s head should be elected from amongst its members.
The upper house on Tuesday, decided to alert one of the proposed amendments passed on to them by lower house and did not away with controversial provision that would have made the Minister of Information and Culture chairman of the commission.
A month ago, the lower house of parliament approved amendments to articles 42, 43 and 44 of the media law by establishing the Media Complaint Commission; payment of wages of members and decided minister should lead the panel.
The Ministry and various media support organizations have been struggling over the creation of the Commission in the past four years.
The Afghanistan Journalists Center has repeatedly sought for the removal of the Media Complaints Commission from within the ministry.
It has said that the Commission doesn't follow a legal path as it isn't under the umbrella of the Mass Media Law.
According to the article 42, for the purpose of appropriate regulating of activities of the mass media, a Mass Media Commission shall be established comprising of (7) members selected from amongst professional people, with higher education and experienced in the field of journalism for periods of 3 to 2 years.
Article 43 states that the Commission shall have the duty and authority to review application for print media and online media and proposing their registration and issuance of license to Ministry of Information and Culture.
Monitor the activities of the mass media, Review the complaints by the mass media and solve their legal disputes, Refer mass media violations with criminal nature to justice institutions, Provide technical consultations to the officials of mass media, Supervise the financial, administrative and broadcasting affairs of the National Radio TV, Scrutinize annual budget of the RTA and submit annual report to the High Media Council.
Article 44 states the National Radio Television commission and its duties.
Prior to that, the Information and Culture Minister Sayed Makhdom Rahin had said that articles of the Law aren't proper and needs further discussion, post which amendments will be made.
Now that the Senate has rejected the controversial provision, deputy Senate chairman Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, says a joint commission composed of members from both chambers will be created to resolve the controversy.