President's Office reverses phone ban from press briefings after backlash

President's Office on Sunday reversed its decision to ban mobile phones from press conference hours after it sparked a backlash.

The President's Office informed journalists of this development at a press conference held by the President's Office this morning.

When journalists refused to enter the press room without their phones, the President's Office then allowed a temporary permit  as no such notice had been issued to journalists before.

However, the President's Office announced on Sunday that phones will not be allowed in the meetings that follow.

The President’s Office explained the reason behind this move as new security protocols. Currently, the security protocol is to prevent anyone from entering the office's meetings, with their phones including political appointees, the office said.

This is the first time that journalists have been banned from taking their phones with when entering the press room of the President's Office.

But after the new measure sparked a huge backlash especially on social media, the President's Office quickly reserved the decision saying that journalists would be granted an exception in future press briefings.