Celebrating the World Press Freedom Day on Tuesday, Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah said in a statement that his government wouldn’t allow targeting journalists based on their opinions or merely based on the fact that they work for the press.
Dbeibah added that the Government of National Unity would also prohibit the arrest of journalists while on duty and that any violations of these instructions would be punishable by law.
The Prime Minister said all Libyans are entitled to the rights of freedom of expression and criticism of the government’s performance as per the constitutional declaration as well as international conventions and national laws.
Dbeibah said his government prioritizes protection of journalists while on duty, saying that it is prohibited to detain journalists at the security apparatuses of the state.
He also indicated that the government will work to ensure the rights of journalists to protect their sources of information which they are required to make public as per the professional ethics of the press.
“We’re working on restructuring Libya’s media institutions to allow participation in management and policymaking, thus; boards of trustees for media institutions will be formed to represent civil society organizations and profession syndicates.” He added.
