Albania PM Accused of Planning Online Media Censorship

The office of Albania's Prime Minister, Edi Rama, has proposed changes in two laws foreseeing the registration of online media and the policing of news content for a variety of reasons, including "biased" news, news that "damages public morale" and "publications that can incite penal offences".

Failure to uphold the law would result in fines of up to 1 million leks [8,000 euros] and even closure of websites.

After the changes were presented at a public hearing on Monday in Tirana, media experts and organizations expressed concerns over possible violations of the constitution, the risk of censorship and a possible chilling effect on the freedom of expression online.

The first draft aims to change the law on the Telecommunication and Postal Authority, the authority that supervises the communications market, transforming the institution from its current content-neutral status to being responsible for maintaining a "register of online media" and ensuring that "entrepreneurs respect their obligations toward national security, public safety ... and other laws".

The law obliges the website of any physical or legal entity to have contact information and a physical address published on the site and orders the AKEP to close websites based on "Tax Authorities' request".

The other proposal aims to transform the Albanian Audiovisual Media Authority, AMA, into a policing body, empowered to judge news quality and public morale. Under the proposal, the publishers should have to "respect the ethical and moral rules of the public and should not allow publication … that can incite penal offences".

A body named The Complaints Council should receive complaints and fine media or order their closure if found in breach of the law.

The proposal...