The government has issued a directive restricting civil servants from speaking on media and social media platforms without prior approval.
The Establishment Division issued an office memorandum detailing that, under existing rules, no government employee may speak on any media platform without official consent. Civil servants cannot share official documents or information with unauthorized employees, citizens, or the press.
The memorandum also prohibits government employees from expressing opinions or disclosing facts on media or social media that could damage the government’s reputation. It further bans comments against government policies, decisions, national sovereignty, or the country’s dignity.
It states that civil servants must maintain their impartiality and refrain from making public statements that could impact international relations or participating in social media debates.
The directive requires all civil servants across various service groups to comply with these guidelines, cautioning that any breach may result in misconduct proceedings.
Government agencies are instructed to monitor their social media platforms continually to eliminate objectionable content. Federal secretaries, additional secretaries, department heads, and chief secretaries are responsible for ensuring adherence to these guidelines.
The memorandum emphasizes that the goal is not to curb the positive use of social media.
