Amidst confirmations of the excellence of the Kuwaiti media, and the margin of freedom it enjoys, compared to the regional environment, participants in the workshop “Media Integrity and Professionalism in Journalistic Work,” which was held by the Ministry of Information in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Public Authority, stressed the necessity of lifting the restrictions on journalistic work.
The Al-Rai daily said this situation makes those who work in the profession of journalism feel as if they are walking through a minefield under the impact of approximately eight laws to which those working in the field of journalism are subjected to.
The Assistant Undersecretary for the Media Services Sector and New Media at the Ministry of Information, member of the Supreme Committee for Leadership and Coordination of Kuwait’s Strategy for Promoting Integrity, Saad Nafel Al-Azmi, considered “the workshop as an opportunity to deepen understanding and exchange opinions regarding ways to enhance media integrity.”
The official pointed out that “the credibility of the media “is one of the basic pillars,” and added, “the Ministry of Information is intensifying its interest in media integrity and the risks of corruption, launching initiatives and holding training courses to enhance these values and raise the level of awareness, which requires additional responsibilities to verify the authenticity of information before publication.”
He stated that “integrity constitutes a basis for building trust among the public and reducing the spread of incorrect news.”
Assistant Secretary-General for the Prevention Sector, Abrar Al-Hammad, said that “international and local efforts have increased on ways to combat corruption, through measures based on spreading awareness of the dangers of corruption,” pointing to the importance of the role of the media as a mirror of society, and that the conscience of the media represents One of the most important components of society.
She explained the Kuwaiti press has a large impact, and one of the roles of the media is to create a culture of integrity, pointing out that the Commission relies on raising awareness of the dangers of corruption, and this activity is one of the means for that.
Assistant Undersecretary for Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Information, Manal Al-Baghdadi, confirmed that “there are many laws that regulate the work of the media since the issuance of the decree establishing the Ministry of Information, which stipulated attention to the media and the values of society, passing through the laws of print, publishing, visual, audio, and electronic media,” pointing out until “the principle is freedom, and the exception is restriction.”
Al-Baghdadi touched on the Children’s Law, issued in 2015, noting that it “stipulates imprisonment and a fine for anyone who makes a child a media outlet for circulation and the fine may reach 50 thousand dinars, as a preliminary ruling in the event of violating what is stated in this law.”
She explained that even if a guardian mistreats a child, he exposes himself to punishment according to this law, and the judiciary considers each case according to its circumstances.
She pointed out that there are several bodies concerned with implementing the Children’s Law, such as the Ministries of Health, Information, and Interior, each in its own field, and asked, “Who among us would agree to have his son photographed without his permission?”
