announcements and oversight. The legislature has made the composition of the Board of Directors of the Commission purely judicial, taking into account, inter alia, the independence, neutrality and impartiality of all members. It also introduced legislation making it mandatory for all state agencies to assist the Commission in discharging its functions and responsibilities. The council also establishes the duties, rights and guarantees for members of the electoral commission and its employees to ensure independence and impartiality in the administration of the election process. 4. In accordance with Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, Egypt is keen to protect the right to freedom of thought, opinion, expression and information. Article 47 of the 1971 Constitution, which was in force until 2011, guarantees freedom of opinion and expression. Article 48 prohibits censorship of the media, except in cases of emergency or wartime, in which event it authorized the imposition of specific controls in matters related to public safety or national security purposes. All this is in accordance with Law No. 96 of 1996 regulating the press, which was amended by law no 12 of 2003. Law No. 82 of 2002 was passed regarding the Protection of Intellectual Property. In accordance with the Constitution of 2014 (Articles 70, 71, 72, 211, 212 and 213), Law No. 92 on the Institutional Organization of the Press and Information was promulgated in 2016, with terms including the establishment of the Supreme Council for the Regulation of the Press and Information as an autonomous body with technical, financial and administrative independence established to ensure that nobody interferes with the organization’s affairs. This body has also been assigned to manage all aspects of issues related to the regulation of audio-visual, digital and press media and ensuring press and media freedom as enshrined in the Constitution, and with preserving media independence, neutrality, pluralism and diversity, to prevent monopolistic practices, to monitor the safety of funding sources for press and media institutions, and to establish the necessary controls and standards to ensure that media are committed to professionalism. The law includes the establishment of the National Press Authority and the National Media Authority to manage and develop state-owned media, radio and digital media institutions, and ensure their modernization, independence, neutrality and commitment to professionalism in administrative and economic performance. Law No. 93 of 2016 on the Syndicate of Journalists was also passed as a framework for the promotion of freedom of opinion and expression, as well as respect for freedom of association. 33