KUWAIT CITY, Feb 7, (KUNA): Kuwait’s on-table press and publication, and audio-visual laws need to be revised in a bid to protect the society and individuals from excesses, and even to safeguard the freedom of expression, a jurist opined here Sunday. Speaking to KUNA on the bills in question, Nahes Al-Enezi, a renowned lawyer and legal advisor, said he had already compiled a legal study on fresh amendments to the press and publication, and audiovisual bills. Such changes are mainly intended to head off looming serious violations against individuals, to protect the country’s superior interests and to safeguard national unity and individual rights, he said.

Some TV shows, unfortunately, promote misconceptions and erroneous information, breach moral values and fan corrupt thoughts that disgracefully run counter to morality, he regretted.
However, the jurist emphasized that the said bills should not involve stiff penalties, and that a media code of ethics and a supreme press and media council should be created instead.
The council, if put in effect, would surely lead to boosting public awareness, to adopting relevant regulations and bylaws and to formulating a media code of ethics, he believed.
He listed media commitments as transparency, respect of multiplicity, right of response and high-quality programs, which, once ensured, would hedge against potential chaos.

Dismissing harsh penalties against media figures, Al-Enezi said the new trend in criminal policy is to stem the tide of incrimination, not only in the mass media field but in other domains as well.
Penalties should remain within reasonable limits, he said, stressing that judiciary would act as an effective guard to maintain balance between the requirements of public order, and religious and moral values.
The protection of freedom is the effective guarantee to avert mass media being used as a means to undermine public order or to blaspheme or mock religion, he argued.
Legal provisions that may impede the press and media march in a society that has already shaped its characteristics and is resolved to take the democratic approach ought to be scrapped, the legal advisor urged.

The fresh changes in the press and publication, and audiovisual laws target tough penalties, invent fresh images of crimes and impose unreasonably exaggerated fines, he regretted.
Therefore, they need to be carefully reconsidered as they, if put in place, would egregiously put the press and media freedom in jeopardy, Al-Enezi remarked.
The existing media laws can play the aspired role only if these are strictly applied to everybody with no exceptions, he said, deeming this as the sole way to preserve national gains without having to muzzle media freedom.