Sheikh Khalifa issued Federal Law No. 12/2016
amending Federal Law No. 5/2012 on combating information technology crimes.
Article 1 provides for replacing the text of
Article 9 of Federal Law No. 9/2012 as follows:
Whoever uses a fraudulent computer network
protocol address (IP address) by using a false address or a third-party address
by any other means for the purpose of committing a crime or preventing its
discovery, shall be punished by temporary imprisonment and a fine of no less
than Dh500,000 and not exceeding Dh2,000,000, or either of these two penalties.
Article 2 of the law states that the law shall
be published in the Official ‘Gazette’ and shall come into effect the day
following publication.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Federal Law No. 10/2016 amends some of the
provisions of Federal Law No. 45/1992 on regulating the work of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
The first article of the law, published in the
latest issue of the Official ‘Gazette’, changes the text of Clause 10 of
Article 2 of Federal Law No. 45/1992 and replaces it with the following text:
Issuance and renewal of diplomatic and special
passports for nationals of the state as well as service passports. Specifying
the eligible groups (of people) and rules for issuing these passports as an
exception from the provisions of Federal Law No. 17/1972 on naturalisation and
passports and amendments. A diplomatic or special passport is given to groups
of people, who are not specified in the previous clause, excluding their
families, and by virtue of a decision made by the President or the
Vice-President of the State, based on a proposal from the Foreign Minister.
Article 2 states that each and any provision
that contradicts the provisions of this law shall be abolished.
Article 3 provides for the publication of this
law in the Official Gazette and that it will come into effect the day after
publication.
National Media Council
Sheikh Khalifa also issued Federal Law No. 11/
2016 regulating the competencies of the National Media Council.
According to the law, the National Media
Council is the federal government body established to oversee and undertake the
media affairs of the United Arab Emirates. It has corporate character, an
independent budget and the legal capacity required to undertake all activities
to ensure achievement of its goals. It is a government body affiliated with the
Cabinet and shall have its seat in Abu Dhabi City. The Council may set up
branches and offices inside and outside the UAE.
Article 4 of the law states the objectives of
the NMC and accordingly it shall develop the UAE's media policy, draft media
legislation and ensure its execution and co-ordinate the media policy between
the emirates, in line with the UAE's domestic and foreign policy to ensure
support for the Federation of the UAE and project national unity.
Article 5 states the NMC's scope of
jurisdiction which includes the following:
Developing and executing the required policies
and plans to develop the media sector; proposing bills and regulations relating
to the work of the Council in coordination with the relevant authorities in the
country; proposing regulations, standards and foundations required for
licensing and accrediting media outlets and their staff and activities,
including e-publishing; issuing rules and regulations that ensure the
achievement of the Council's goals in line with the controls it specifies;
coordinating with the authorities of media free zones on developing an
organisational framework to regulate the Council's relationship with these
zones; representing the UAE at media meetings, events and activities in and
outside the UAE; undertaking any other relevant responsibilities specified by
the Cabinet's regulations and resolutions.
Article 6 states that a Board of Directors,
formed by virtue of a decision issued by the Cabinet, shall run the Council.
Article 7 states that the Board of Directors is
the supreme authority of the Council and shall accordingly exercise all its
powers and the required authority. It may develop the Council's general policy,
propose amendments to the required plans and follow up the plans for their
execution, propose draft regulations pertaining to the work and competencies of
the Council as well as to the achievement of its objectives and submitting the
same to the Cabinet for approval as well as the preparing of a draft
organisational structure for the Council, specifying the responsibilities and
competencies and departments of the Council, and submit the same to the Cabinet
for approval, propose a draft annual budget for the Council and a draft annual
closing account in addition to any other competencies delegated to the Board by
the laws, regulations and resolutions issued by the Cabinet. The Board may also
delegate some of its competencies to its Chairman.
According to the law, the Chairman of the
National Media Council is responsible for overseeing the management of the
Council for all aspects in line with the provisions of the Council's effective
regulations. The Council shall have a director general, to be appointed by
virtue of a federal law based on a proposal from the Chairman, who will be the
legal representative of the Council. The Board of Directors shall issue a
decision specifying the Chairman's competencies and jurisdiction.
Article 10, a clause about the standards and
regulations issued by the Council, states that media organisations in the state
must comply with the regulations and rules issued by the Council, as well as
commit themselves to provide information and data required by the Council to
achieve its objectives.
Article 11 states that the fiscal year of the
Council shall start on the 1st of January and ends on the 31st of December
every year.
According to the law, regulations and decisions
which are effective in the National Media Council shall remain enforced at the
time of issuance of the law without conflict with its provisions.
The law shall be published in the Official
‘Gazette’ and will come into effect the day following publication.
No comments:
Post a Comment