Syria’s transitional government has announced new media standards, promising to ensure freedom of speech, free expression and an independent press after decades of tight control under Bashar al-Assad’s rule. About this stated Minister of Information of the Transitional Government Mohamed al-Omar.
“We are working to consolidate freedom of the press and expression, which were severely restricted in areas controlled by the former government of Bashar al-Assad.” – said Mohamed al-Omar.
According to him, the ruling Baath Party and the Assad dynasty have for a long time significantly restricted the daily life of citizens, using the media as a propaganda tool.
“There was a severe restriction on freedom of the press and expression under a regime that practiced censorship. In the future, we are working to reconstruct a media landscape that is free, objective and professional. We don’t want to continue in the same way, that is, to have official mass media whose purpose is to polish the image of the ruling power.”, – emphasized al-Omar.
The minister has already held meetings with dozens of Syrian journalists to discuss the reform of the information space and the transition to new principles of media work.
