MKs Efrat Rayten and Eitan Ginzburg, joined by the Zulat Institute for Equality and Human Rights, filed separate petitions Thursday evening with the High Court of Justice against the communications law, Channel 12 reports. The MKs accuse the communications minister of turning the Knesset into a 'doormat and tool for granting benefits to ruling channels,' while Zulat argues the law severely harms freedom of expression and press freedom.
Two new legal challenges were filed Thursday evening against the communications law, which critics say would weaken media independence. MKs Efrat Rayten (The Democrats) and Eitan Ginzburg (The Democrats) petitioned the High Court of Justice for a conditional order, accusing Communications Minister Shlomo Karai of turning the Knesset into a 'doormat and tool for granting benefits to ruling channels and taking over free media,' according to Channel 12.
Shortly after, the Zulat Institute for Equality and Human Rights filed its own petition, arguing that the law 'severely harms freedom of expression, press freedom, and the public's right to know' and that the legislative process contained substantive defects. The group joins other civil society organizations that have challenged the law.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the MKs' petition was filed at 19:44, followed by Zulat's at 19:47. The law has drawn widespread opposition from opposition parties and press freedom advocates, with Yisrael Beiteinu and Yair Golan also condemning it.
2 developments
- StrongZulat Institute files High Court petition against Communications Law
- DevelopingOpposition MKs submit full letter to Knesset legal advisor, demand halt to communications law
- DevelopingOpposition MKs allege foreign interests and bribes penetrated media bill text
- DevelopingOpposition MKs allege procedural flaws in media bill publication, blocking reservations
Source and signal
- Internal intake