IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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JOINT ACTION - AFRICA

25 June 2004

Freedom of expression organisations condemn media freedom and freedom of
expression violations in eight African countries

(IFEX) - The following statement was issued by the Africa Caucus at the 11th
General Meeting of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) in
Baku, Azerbaijan, 13-18 June 2004, and is endorsed by the signatories below:

The following members of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange
(IFEX), an international network of freedom of expression organisations from
around the world, are deeply concerned about ongoing media freedom and freedom
of expression violations taking place in Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

CÔTE D'IVOIRE

The media in Côte d'Ivoire operate under conditions of fear of attacks and
intimidation by political thugs.

We call on the government of President Laurent Gbagbo to ensure the protection
of all media against attacks. At the same time, we call on the media in Côte
d'Ivoire to refrain from propagation of hate speech and to work to promote peace
and unity in the country.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Although observers have noted an improvement in media freedom in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC), the government has resumed the arrest, harassment and
imprisonment of journalists.

We urge the government to free all journalists presently in custody, to
guarantee the right of journalists to practise freely and to desist from
inciting ethnic hatred using public media.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Equatorial Guinea, under the rule of President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, provides
no space for the operation of independent media and continues to deny its
citizens the right to access media of their choice.

We appeal to President Teodoro Obiang Nguema to respect the undertaking made by
his country in ratifying international human rights and freedom of expression
declarations.

ERITREA

For more than three years now, the government of Eritrea has been holding in
detention without charge or trial about 18 journalists. The government has also
banned the operation of independent media.

We call on the government of Eritrea to free all detained journalists and permit
the existence and operation of independent, privately owned media in Eritrea.

ETHIOPIA

The Ethiopian government, under the pretext of seeking accountability, has made
it impossible for the Ethiopian Free Press Journalists' Association (EFJA) to
function since November 2003. This follows years of harassment, intimidation,
arrests and detention of the leadership of the EFJA.

We call on the Ethiopian government to permit the EFJA to function without
restrictions and governmental constraints.

SOMALIA

The civil war in Somalia has shattered the country's media and forced most of
the journalists to flee into exile. A new generation of journalists works under
very hostile conditions of daily threats of violent attacks, intimidation,
blackmail, closure of media houses, property confiscation, and bans by the
warlords.

We call on the provincial authorities in the self-declared 'autonomous' regions
and the warlords to respect media freedom and leave the media to operate without
threats and attacks on the lives of journalists and the media.

SWAZILAND

Swaziland is an absolute monarchy where King Mswati III rules by Royal Decree.
Demonstrations, marches, pickets or any form of public protests or expression of
contrary opinion are prohibited. The media are especially censored and
journalists are indiscriminately arrested and prosecuted under a plethora of
laws, including insult laws, sedition and criminal defamation.

We call on the rulers of Swaziland to march with the rest of Africa by reforming
the laws to ensure that every Swazi enjoys freedom of expression and the right
to access information of their choice.

ZIMBABWE

Over the last four years the government of Zimbabwe has systematically shut off
democratic space, resulting in a profound socio-political crisis that is making
it impossible for citizens to freely express their rights. Under the Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), the Public Order and Security
Act (POSA) and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA), the State denies citizens
their rights to free expression, arrests and punishes independent-minded
journalists and bans the operations of independent media.

We call on the government of President Mugabe to repeal all laws that violate
the internationally accepted conventions and standards on free expression. We
particularly call on the government to allow the Daily News and all other
proscribed media to resume operations.

Signed at Baku, Azerbaijan, on 18 June 2004

Issued by:

East Africa Media Institute, Somalia
Freedom of Expression Institute, South Africa
Journaliste en danger, Democratic Republic of Congo
Media Foundation for West Africa
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria

Endorsed by:

Africa Free Media Foundation (formerly known as the Network for the Defence of
Independent Media in Africa)
Azerbaijan Journalists Confederation
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Cartoonists Rights Network, International
Central Asian and Southern Caucasian Freedom of Expression Network
Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies
Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations
Committee to Protect Journalists
Freedom House
Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa
Greek Helsinki Monitor
Independent Journalism Center, Moldova
Index on Censorship
International Federation of Journalists
International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz"
Journalists' Trade Union
Media Foundation for West Africa
Pacific Islands News Association
Pakistan Press Foundation
Southeast Asian Press Alliance
Thai Journalists Association
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC)
World Association of Newspapers
World Press Freedom Committee

For further information, contact the IFEX Clearing House, 489 College Street,
Suite 403, Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A5 Canada, tel: +1 416 515 9622, fax: +1 416
515 7879, e-mail: [email protected] [2], Internet: http://www.ifex.org [3]

The information contained in this joint action is the sole responsibility of the
signatories. _________________________________________________________________
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_________________________________________________________________

The following statement was issued by the Africa Caucus at the 11th
General Meeting of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX)
in Baku, Azerbaijan, 13-18 June 2004, and is endorsed by the signatories
below:

Statement by African Free Expression Organisations
At the 11th General Meeting of the International Freedom of Expression
eXchange (IFEX) In Baku, Azerbaijan, June 13-18, 2004

We, African free expression organisations;

Noting that the legal systems of many countries in Africa have over the
decades retained or enacted new laws that criminalise various forms of
expression and journalistic activity;

Observing that criminal sanctions are an unwarranted response to breaches of
journalistic ethics and only serve to repress free speech and public
debates;

Further observing in particular that "insult laws", security legislation,
criminal defamation, and sedition laws, among others, are increasingly being
used by repressive governments to stifle free speech and curtail debates on
matters of public interest;

Stressing that African people have a right to participate in governance and
democratic processes and are, in the vast majority of cases, precluded from
doing so because of a culture of secrecy in government;

Recognizing the need for an effective mechanism for the protection and
enforcement of fundamental rights and freedoms on the African continent;

Therefore, call on African governments to undertake a comprehensive review
of all content-related offences, and in particular to ensure that criminal
sanctions are removed from all such laws to bring them into conformity with
international human rights standards;

Further call on African governments to enhance transparency, accountability
and good governance, and in particular, to take urgent steps to repeal
official secrecy laws and adopt legislation and policy that facilitate
access to information;

Urge African governments that have not yet ratified the protocol for the
African Human Rights Court to take steps to do so; and,

Finally, impress upon African governments and the African Union the need to
ensure the effective functioning of the court by demonstrating political
will and committing adequate resources to the institution.

Issued by:

East Africa Media Institute, Somalia
Freedom of Expression Institute, South Africa
Journaliste en danger, Democratic Republic of Congo
Media Foundation for West Africa
Media Institute of Southern Africa
Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria

Endorsed by:

Azerbaijan Journalists Confederation
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Cartoonists Rights Network, International
Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies
Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations
Central Asian and Southern Caucasian Freedom of Expression Network
Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre Guatemala
Committee to Protect Journalists
Freedom House
Fundación para la Libertad de Prensa
Greek Helsinki Monitor
International Federation of Journalists
International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech "Adil Soz"
International Press Institute
Independent Journalism Center, Moldova
Journalists' Trade Union
Pakistan Press Foundation
Southeast Asian Press Alliance
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
World Association of Newspapers
World Press Freedom Committee
Writers in Prison Committee, International PEN

For further information, contact the IFEX Clearing House, 489 College
Street, Suite 403, Toronto, Ontario M6G 1A5 Canada, tel: +1 416 515 9622,
fax: +1 416 515 7879, e-mail: [email protected] [2], Internet: http://www.ifex.org [3]

The information contained in this joint action is the sole responsibility of
the signatories.