Syrian president decrees new media law.

Text of report in English by state-run Syrian news agency SANA website

["President Al-Assad issues legislative decree on media law" - SANA headline]

Damascus, 29 Aug (SANA) - President Bashar al-Asad on Sunday [28 August] issued Legislative Decree No 108 for 2011 on media law.

Rules of law No 68 for 1951 on the main system of radio that are inconsistent with the new media law will be repealed, along with the 2001 publications law, law on communication with the public on the net of 2011 and the 2002 legislative decree on private commercial radios.

The executive instructions of the issued legislative decree will be issued by the cabinet upon the proposal of the information minister after coordination with the National Council of Information.

The main principles

- Media with all their means should be independent and serve their message freely and are only restricted by the constitution and the law.

- Practice of journalistic work is based on the following basic rules:

1. Freedom of expression, the main freedoms guaranteed in the constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic, the International Declaration of Human Rights and the relevant international agreements ratified by the Syrian government.

2. Citizen's right to access information related to public concern.

3. The national and pan-Arab values of the Syrian society, the responsibility in publishing knowledge, expressing the people's interests and protecting national identity.

Journalistic work through using the different media outlets should take into consideration the following principles:

1. Respecting freedom of expression which is to be practiced with responsibility and awareness.

2. Journalist's right to accessing and using information with considering the rules stated in the law.

3. Commitment to truth, integrity, honesty, accuracy and objectivity in publishing information.

4. Respecting the individuals' privacy, dignity and rights and abstaining from violating them in any way.

5. Respecting the Press Charter issued by the Journalists' Union.

6. Preventing monopoly of any media outlet.

The rights and duties

- The Journalist's freedom is secured by the law and the journalist's view should not be a reason to affect this freedom except in …