Civil society frames draft law on freedom of expression

The Independent Journalism Centre (IJC) presented Monday December 11 the draft law on freedom of expression that aims at guaranteeing the right to free expression and information and creating a balance between protection against libel and protection of freedom of speech. Corina Cepoi, director of IJC, told a roundtable that such a law offers certain additional guarantees regarding the freedom of speech. Federica Prina, representative of International Organization XIX Article, has also stressed upon the importance of such a law and referred especially to the international practice in this field. Olivia Partac, jurist at IJC, said that the main reason for framing such a draft law is the fact that the European standards regarding the freedom of expression are implemented inadequately in Moldova. As she states, such a law would stimulate the legal consciousness of the population as concerns the right to expression. The expert has also mentioned that the draft points out very clearly which is the extension of freedom of speech and where it ends and, at the same time represents an interpretation of the European standards in a succinct language. The project envisages the freedom of expression of mass-media inclusively, ban of censorship, right to information, person’s right to the respect of honour, dignity and professional reputation etc. The draft law on freedom of expression was worked out jointly by jurists and journalists in Moldova.