PER is still in place

The Public Emergency Regulation is in place for the time being.

This follows the gazetting of the Media Industry Development Decree yesterday.

Earlier the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum had stated that once the Media Decree is in place, it would replace the Public Emergency Regulation.

However responding to questions posed at a press conference yesterday afternoon as to whether this would mean an end to the media censorship and PER being lifted, Sayed Khaiyum revealed that the PER is still in place and will be for some time.

The Attorney General also revealed that there have been changes to Decree following public consultations.

One of the changes is the power being given to the Media Authority which will oversee media outlets in the country.

Previously, the Decree empowered the Authority to require documents or information from any media organisation and also gave them the power to enter the premises under a search warrant.

However, he reveals that this power has now been limited.

The Decree now has express provisions for the protection of identity and particulars of the source of any information published by a media organisation.

Under Section 28 of the Media Decree, no media organisation is required to disclose the identity or particulars of the source of any news item, which relates to corruption or abuse of office by a public officer.