>>New contents of the draft revised press law
The revision of the Press Law is needed to guarantee the citizens’ right to freedom of press and freedom of speech in light of the 2013 Constitution, said Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son on November 4 when lawmakers discussed the draft revised press law at the ongoing 10th session of the National Assembly (NA).
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| Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Bac Son presents a report on the draft revised press law__Photo: VNA |
The draft law adds provisions allowing citizens to take part in press activities with the State’s protection in accordance with law and in social supervision and criticism activities on the press, Son said.
Another new provision of the draft is that no censorship is conducted before the publication or broadcasting of any press works, according to the Minister.
The draft also features detailed provisions on prohibited contents for media, such as abuse of the right to freedom of press and freedom of speech on the press to infringe upon interests of the State or lawful rights and interests of organizations and individuals.
However, some provisions in the draft still hindered freedom of press, according to the NA’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, Adolescents and Children.
The Committee asked the drafting committee to study further and make adjustments to ensure the law does not intervene too much in press activities. It also requested the drafting board to review regulations on press activity licenses so as to raise the autonomy of press agencies and create conditions for press agencies to operate based on their capacity and development strategies.
The Committee did not back the draft’s provisions setting complicated procedures for grant of press activity licenses and requiring correspondents of a press agency’s representative office to obtain written approval of a People’s Committee when they come to work in the locality concerned.
During this session’s third working week from November 2-6, the NA also discussed the results of implementation of the 2015 socio-economic development plan, and the 2016 plan; the results of implementation of the 2015 state budget, and state budget estimates and plan on allocation of central budget funds in 2016.
Lawmakers assessed the results of implementation of national target programs during 2011-15 and proposed investment in national target programs during 2016-20.
They also discussed divergent opinions on draft revised law on statistics, draft law on hydrometeorology, draft revised criminal procedure code; draft revised law on conclusion of, accession to, and implementation of treaties, and ratification of the Protocol Amending the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization.-
