A new tough media law has been proposed in Venezuela, which could see journalists imprisoned for publishing “harmful” material.

Journalists face serving up to four years in prison for publishing material that is deemed to harm state stability.

Public prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz proposed the changes, claiming that it was necessary “to regulate the freedom of expression...without harming it”.

This move has come at a time where there is rising tension over private media regulation.

Information deemed to be “false” and aimed towards “creating a public panic” will also be media offences and therefore be punishable by prison sentences, the draft law suggests.

The law is aimed at anyone – be they newspaper editor, reporter or artist, and claims that they can be sentenced to between six months and four years in prison for breaching the media law.

Some claim that the draft law is an unprecedented attack on private media outlets and journalists in Venezuela.

This proposed bill still needs to be debated on the floor of the assembly. It comes at a time when 240 radio stations in Venezuela face closure for supposedly failing to hand their registration papers into the government.