appointments process for members which is transparent, allows for public input and is not controlled by any particular political party.13 They reiterated this idea in their 2015 Joint Declaration, stating: “Administrative measures which directly limit freedom of expression, including regulatory systems for the media, should always be applied by an independent body.”14 The UN Human Rights Committee made a similar statement in its September 2011 General Comment No. 34, albeit limited to broadcast regulators: It is recommended that States parties that have not already done so should establish an independent and public broadcasting licensing authority, with the power to examine broadcasting applications and to grant licenses. [references omitted]15 All three regional bodies for the protection of human rights – in Africa, the Americas and Europe – have also referred to the need for media regulators to be independent.16 In contrast to this, the Press and Publications Law allocates a wide range of functions to political bodies and individuals, specifically the Cabinet, the Minister of Information, the Department of Press and Publications (PPD, now part of the Media Commission or MC) and the Director (formally of the PPD but now the Director of the MC). The relevant functions are as follows: • Cabinet: o Issuing licences to news agencies, on the recommendation of the Minister (Article 11(c)). o Issuing licences to press publications, on the recommendation of the Minister (Article 17(a)). o Authorising transfers of press publication licences (Article 18). • Minister: o Approving individuals as correspondents of foreign periodicals (Article 9(a)). o Issuing licences to specialised publications and Article 15(a) entities (Article 17(b)). o Approving changes in the specialisation of specialised publications (Articles 19(b) and 26(a)). 13 18 December 2003, note 9. 14 4 May 2015, clause 4(a), note 9. 15 Note 8, para. 39. 16 See Principle VII(1) of the Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, adopted by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights at its 32nd Session, 17-23 October 2002, note 10; Principle 13 of the Inter-American Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, adopted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the 108th Regular Session, 19 October 2000, note 11; and Recommendation (2000)23 on the independence and functions of regulatory authorities for the broadcasting sector, adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 20 December 2000, note 12. Jordan: Analysis of the Press and Publications Law, 1998, as Amended - 7