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The Council of Press Ethics warned on Tuesday that a bill currently being debated in Parliament that claims to target fake news It is a cover to suppress freedom of expression in Cyprus.
In a statement, it charged that this was the second time some lawmakers had tried to criminalize fake news, ignoring warnings and objections from journalists unions, ethics committees and publishers associations.
The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) condemned the bill “and its It has a chilling effect on press freedom.”
In a joint statement with the Press Ethics Council, the body said a legislative amendment aimed at criminalizing the dissemination of false news, threats, insults and obscene images online would be submitted to the plenary session in September.
The amendment provides for the conversion of a range of civil offences into criminal offences and provides for The maximum sentence is five years in prison.
On July 3, the House of Representatives Law Committee discussed the bill with Deputy Attorney General Savvas Angelides and Committee Chairman Nicos Tornaritis (Disy MP), who supported the amendment.
“This is the second time this year that some lawmakers have tried to push through an amendment to criminalize fake news,” the news group said.
In particular, they noted that Angelides and Tornalidis’ support had been strongly opposed by the Cyprus Journalists’ Union, the Ethics Committee and the Publishers’ Association.
During the discussion, the Cyprus Bar Association stated that the essence of the amendment is Abolition of press privacy and proposed that investigations of journalists could only be conducted on the order of the Attorney General.
Angelides defended the bill, saying families and young people were being ruined by fake news and this criminal activity must be addressed.
The Council of Journalism Ethics urged authorities to follow the recommendations of the European Commission, the European Union and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The government is advised not to enact legal provisions that criminalize false information.
It added that the best way to combat misinformation is to build a healthy information ecosystem that favours media literacy, quality information, ethical journalism, independent and pluralistic media, decent working conditions for journalists and promoting a culture of transparency.
“Wherever repressive laws have been passed, they have proven to be ineffective, counterproductive, or even deviate from their official goals, being used to intimidate journalists or Encourage them to self-examine”
The Ethics Committee, together with the International Federation of Jewish Lawyers (IFJ) and the European Federation of Jewish Lawyers (EFJ), called on the Cypriot Parliament to “comply with European legal standards and withdraw this amendment to the Criminal Code.”
Cyprus Press Freedom Index 10 points down in 2024 According to Reporters Without Borders (RWB), the country ranks 65thday From 55 to 180 countriesday It will be held in 2023.
Late last year, Cyprus became one of seven countries to support a provision in the European Media Freedom Act that Allowing surveillance of journalists.
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