KUWAIT CITY, Oct 22, (KUNA): The Minister of Information has issued a Ministerial Resolution stipulating total ban on primaries, tit-for-tat mudslinging among hopefuls for parliamentary seats or granting “financial incentives” for voters.

The Minister of Information, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah issued the Ministerial Resolution (143/2016), setting terms and restrictions for the media coverage and promotion for the forthcoming parliamentary and municipal elections.

First article of the resolution stipulated that it goes into force as of the date of its publication, or the publishing of the decision calling for the parliamentary and the municipal elections, in the official gazette till declaration of the polls’ results.

The Ministerial Resolution, in its second term, slaps ban on publishing, broadcasting or re-broadcasting calls for primary elections, involving or promoting such voting, in addition to prohibiting any action that might undermine “the elections’ freedom or its system.” All audio-visual or electronic media, reads the third provision, are obliged to distinguish between nominees’ “news and advertisement, by underlining the latter with such term.”

Media coverage of the elections must be free of any words, pictures, symbols, written terms or drawings that might be deemed  as offensive to the nominees, or others, directly or indirectly, reads the fourth term. “It is prohibited that the promotion or the coverage of the elections imply financial incentives, either paid or promised with aim of stimulating the voters to cast the vote for a certain candidate or abstain from casting the ballot,” says the fifth article of Sheikh Salman’s Resolution.

AdhereAudio-visual and electronic media as well as the press, when publishing or broadcasting opinion polls and statistics, must adhere to the following: First, mentioning the party that conducted the opinion poll or means of gathering the statistics, number of the polled persons, date and means of assembling the information. Moreover they must be issued by companies that are licensed by relevant State authorities. The second article of the Ministerial Resolution bans publicizing results of the opinion polls and statistics during the day of balloting or the day before. Thirdly, it bars publicizing outcome of the elections, rates or proportions before announcement by the official sources.

The seventh article prohibits broadcasting or re-broadcasting interviews, reports involving the nominees for election of the National Assembly or the Municipal Council — or on their behalf — during the balloting day or the preceding day.

The eighth term bars broadcasting reports, articles or reports about the candidates unless they conform with rules of the Laws 3/06, 16/07 and 08/16. The ninth one stipulates forming a commission tasked with monitoring the media during the electoral process to ensure adherence to the set rules and laws. The panel is entitled to receive complaints and reports and “taking the proper measures in this respect.”

The 10th article reads that in cases where terms of this Resolution have been breached, the rules outlined in the Law 35/62 and its amendments, along with the law 3/06, are to be applied. The 11th article repeals the Ministerial resolution 78/12. The 12th says the relevant authorities are instructed to implement this decision, each according to the set jurisdictions. The resolution is to be published in the gazette and adhered by; effective the date of publicizing it.

CampaignMeanwhile, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Sabah announced on Saturday the launching of a media campaign entitled “my vote is for my country” to cover the National Assembly elections slated on November 26. The minister told KUNA in a statement that the slogan of the campaign comes depicts real national values and principles by which Kuwait and Kuwaitis have been characterized for decades. He stressed on importance of wide popular participation in the elections to choose MPs for the 15th legislative term. The Ministry of Information, in collaboration with the country’s institutions, has drawn up a plan on comprehensive media coverage so as to show the role of democracy of which the Kuwaitis are proud since the country’s establishment, about 350 years ago, he said. Minister Sheikh Salman lauded efforts of the ministry staff, who are committed to covering the elections to portray the country’s democracy and civil image.