doha • The Doha Centre for Media Freedom (DCMF), which was officially launched yesterday, will be taking up the matter of getting legislation introduced to benefit the local media in the country.

Robert Menard, DCMF Director-General, told reporters at an event held at Sharq Village and Spa: "We are here so we can express feelings. There are some shortfalls in legislation in the country and we have spoken to H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned about this." The DCMF is under the patronage of Sheikha Mozah and was set up by an Emiri decree on December 9 last year.

Menard, responding to a question on how employers retain the passports of their employees, and the question of exit permits, said the rules were "backward".

Yesterday's launch saw a panel of 13, including Menard as well as several members of the DCMF Board of Governors and Advisory Council, laud Qatar's initiative in setting up the Centre. Social activist Hassan Al Jefairi and several reporters not covering the event took the opportunity to raise points of issue about media freedom in the country, alleging they had faced problems carrying out their duties at one time or the other.

Menard said Qatar would not be kept away from the scanner, saying: "There will be freedom in criticism and we will also criticise Qatar. We will try to protect the integrity of the country and will hold the same critical views of Qatar."

DCMF will be issuing publicity material to highlight media freedom. "Freedom of the media starts here. We want this centre to do practical, tangible and concrete work for journalists, including legal and

medical help."

The DCMF has set up two shelters here for journalists — one to house men and the other women — who have faced harassment or have been hounded out by authorities in their respective countries. They will be allowed to stay for a period of three to six months. "We do not want to stop journalists from pursuing their careers," said Menard. The DCMF has also set up a website, www.dohacentre.org, to get its message across.

Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who is on the DCMF Board of Governors, said: This is an important media initiative. This is a centre which can play an important role in a world which has been facing upheaval over the past few decades. I want the centre's job to be in the service of information and it should stand firm on media freedom."

He said: "Liberty and freedom matter to all of us and in any part of the world freedom is a basic concept of liberty. We should expose those who do not uphold honesty."

Nasser Al Othman, well-known Qatari journalist and member of the DCMF Advisory Council, said: "With the setting up of this centre, I have a wonderful feeling of triumph. We want this to be bigger than Al Jazeera network. We want the DCMF to set its eyes on the entire world."