Criminal Liability for Media Incitement Crimes in Libyan Criminal Law

Abstract

The power of the media has permeated every aspect of human life, becoming an indispensable necessity. The most important reason for its power is its widespread reach and ease of access to all segments of society. This makes it a double-edged sword. One end builds societies by creating a sound awareness and clear vision for ordinary citizens regarding various events and issues. The other end exposes falsehood as truth and truth as falsehood, numbs minds with the embellishment of false speech, tempts weak souls with their desires, and belittles the consequences of the sins they seek. Libya in particular, and the Islamic nation in general, has experienced a significant number of wars and conflicts over the past decade. Each time, innocents pay the price of these wars with their wealth, children, or lives. The most prominent reasons that increase the brutality of these battles and the crimes committed in them are: Media incitement: Each party possesses mobilizing media that incites hatred, fuels the flames of resentment against the other, and diminishes its presence and value. They decide that the only way to end the viewer's suffering is to eliminate the other. Sometimes, simply taking their life isn't enough; they must be subjected to various forms of torment, so that all the viewer's past suffering may end with this vengeance. It was therefore necessary for national and international criminal legislation to address the seriousness of this crime. This attention begins by defining the criminal liability of media inciters, whether individuals or institutions. Liability is the basis of criminal punishment, and media incitement does not amount to a direct cause of the crime, but rather serves as an influential factor in its existence and increasing incidence.