"The plenary session of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Ecuador began this Jan. 11 the first of two debates on the bill known as the Organic Guarantee, Promotion and Protection of Freedom of the Press, Opinion, and Expression and of Communication.
The opinion was divided between the different political groups. The debate in the legal body faced government officials who defend the "self-regulation" of the media against opponents who demand greater controls on this activity.
The proposal, according to the Assembly, is based on a fundamental principle that promotes the right to freedom of expression and protects citizens from hate speech and violence, as well as those who work in the media."
