The Israeli parliament has passed a law banning journalists working for the country’s public broadcast authority from expressing their opinions on air.
Journalists immediately accused the government of trying to stifle dissent.
Israel’s press council urged parliament to cancel the law, which was passed by the Knesset early Thursday in the middle of the night, saying it violates free speech.
According to the law, journalists must “avoid one-sidedness, prejudice, expressing personal opinions, giving grades and affixing labels.”
Cabinet minister Ofir Akunis said the law only applies to newscasts. He believes some journalists who are critical of the government “aren’t being professional and are doing it for political reasons.”
Israel Radio diplomatic correspondent Chico Menashe, quoted by the Times of Israel, called the clause “shameful” and said he “hoped the prime minister would see the clause and work to change it.”
Broadcaster Esty Perez of Israel Radio wrote in a series of tweets: “A democratic state that prohibits in law that journalists for the public broadcaster express opinions exhibits the weakness and panic that characterises weak dictatorships... Handcuff me. I expressed an opinion.”
Sources: Times of Israel/AP via Yahoo
