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PARIS (Reuters) – A bill that would make it a crime, under certain circumstances, to distribute a picture of a police officer’s face is that French Prime Minister Jean Castex did not attempt to enforce the right of To hurt journalists on reporting public events.
French legal activists and journalists have protested the bill that anyone who promotes the image of a police officer with the intent to harm the officer will be jailed for one year and fined 45. 000 euros (53. 450 US dollars).
Castex told Parliament that the government is not aiming for freedom of the press or freedom of expression, but wants to protect the police from the dissemination of images and texts intended to harm the police force.
« The aim is not to prevent anyone from filming or broadcasting pictures that reveal a fact or a public event, » said Castex, who will be holding talks with journalists’ unions this week.
Opponents say the bill, drafted by two MPs from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party, would violate journalists’ freedom to report on public events and make it harder to hold officials accountable when they do suspect, for example, to use excessive force while in detention.
The government has already added a line to the bill stating that it « does not violate the right to information ». .
The law should be passed later Tuesday in the National Assembly, in which Macron’s party has a majority. Some MPs of the party have announced that they will vote against the bill.
In an allusion to the opposition, Castex said the government itself will, once passed, submit the bill to the Constitutional Council to verify that it is in line with the Constitution.
Opposition parties often turn to the council when they contest the constitutionality of a law.
French Parliament, Law, Prime Minister of France, France, Emmanuel Macron
World News – UK – French Prime Minister says police identification, which does not target journalists, is restricted is
Ref: https://www.swissinfo.ch
