Serraj government prohibits use of ‘‘Libya/Libyan’’ in name of private media entities

By Sami Zaptia.

London, 26 February 2021:

The Libyan Media Foundation, under the outgoing Faiez Serraj government, yesterday prohibited the use of the terms ‘‘Libya’’ or ‘‘Libyan’’ in the official name of all private media organizations and companies, as well as audio and video channels.

The terms can only be used by media outlets after obtaining written approval from the Libya Media Foundation.

The decision issued by the head of the Foundation, Mohamed Baiyu”, stipulated that the visual channels and audio stations that use a name containing the word Libya or Libyan must be re-named within a period not exceeding three months from the issuance of the decision.

The decision also obliged Libyan and foreign visual channels and audio stations that broadcast from Libya or that have offices in any Libyan city to submit their legal documents and obtain approval for broadcasting and work from the Libyan Media Foundation in accordance with the specified controls and fees.