Mozambique now has new laws to regulate the media

The Assembly of the Republic definitively approved, this Thursday, the new legislative package for the media, marking a moment considered historic for the sector in the country.

The package includes three legal instruments: the new Social Communication Law, which replaces the old Press Law in force for about 35 years, as well as the Broadcasting Law and the Higher Council for Social Communication Law, introduced for the first time into the national legal system. The approval was unanimous and by acclamation, in an atmosphere of strong consensus among the deputies.

The proposals, which had been stalled for over a decade, returned to the agenda in August of last year, when the Information Office promoted a public consultation process involving journalists throughout the country. The initiative included the participation of MISA-Mozambique, the National Union of Journalists, and the Higher Council for Social Communication.

With the approval of the package, the sector now has an updated legal framework, leaving behind regulations considered outdated in the current reality of the media, marked by rapid technological transformations and new professional challenges.

In response, the Secretary-General of the National Union of Journalists, Faruco Sadique, described the moment as a "great gain" for the journalistic profession. He stated that the new legislative package responds to the aspirations of professionals and reinforces the pillars of a democratic society, based on freedom of the press and responsible reporting.

With these changes, Mozambique opens a new chapter in the regulation of social communication, with expectations of greater professionalism, balance, and the strengthening of democracy.