petition on media freedom presented to AU in Maputo

Press Statement: African Union Maputo July 8 2003 [Press Freedom Petition and list of 140 signatories from Africa and internationally follows this statement]

Text of Press Statement issued at the 2nd African Union meeting of Heads of State in Maputo, Mozambique by CREDO for Freedom of Expression of Associated Rights, FAHAMU, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).

Tomorrow, Wednesday July 9th the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) will on behalf of the above mentioned organisations and dozens more from Africa and across the world present a petition to the African Union calling for the release of all incarcerated journalists and for the repeal of anti-media and anti-freedom of expression legislation in African Union member states.

The petition amongst other points, emphasises that:

“Active participation of citizens in shaping policy and decision making of their countries is impossible if their own governments continue to deny them the rights necessary to ensure such participation. These include the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, association and political participation, as well as media freedom to facilitate a free exchange of information, ideas and opinion.”

“It was with great hope and expectation that all Africans and friends of Africa welcomed the launch of the African Union and looked forward to a new future based on its constitutive Acts. However two years into this bold experiment, no significant progress has been made. Even worse, two of the first five countries to sign up i.e. Eritrea and Zimbabwe have been turned into living hells for the media by the governments of those countries.”

In statements supporting the petition:

Timothy Balding, Director General of the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) stated, “The right for journalists to practice without fear of legal persecution and personal injury is fundamental to any functioning democracy. Too many journalists in Africa are forced to operate in appalling conditions which not only infringe on their capacity to operate as media professionals, but also violate their basic human rights."

Aidan White, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also stated, “In most African countries journalists work under intolerable conditions because of disregard for their professional, social, trade union and basic human rights. Governments must realise that the promotion of human rights, peace, tolerance and stability, public accountability, access to information and general people’s participation in the decision making process are key challenges for a vibrant and constructive Africa.”

Luckson Chipare Regional Director of MISA acknowledges that “while the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights has adopted a Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, which stresses "the fundamental importance of freedom of expression as an individual human right, as a cornerstone of democracy and as a means of ensuring respect for all human rights and freedoms", there are reservations about how the Commission will enforce these measures in the context of the AU and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). While the Declaration does aspire to boosting free speech within the AU and NEPAD initiative, the question must be asked as to how, for example, can the provisions of the African Charter be enforced on those governments who do not adhere to them? For instance in Southern Africa media practitioners often face detention, arrest, imprisonment and even death. During 2002, 27 journalists were beaten, 4 were bombed, 45 were detained, 38 were threatened and 40 were censored.”

Rotimi Sankore on behalf of CREDO and FAHAMU stated “the African Union must respond to this petition if it is to have any credibility amongst Africans and the international community and show in real terms that it is indeed different from the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) which at some point was chaired by vicious dictators such as former President Idi Amin of Uganda with the overt or tacit support of past African Heads of State.

The petition ends by calling on the “concerned African leaders to without delay release all incarcerated journalists, re-open all closed media houses, repeal anti-media legislation and recognise the importance of a free press, freedom of expression and other associated rights as vital ingredients necessary to build free, democratic and prosperous societies. Only when this is done will the NEPAD initiative and any future similar initiatives have any real meaning for the peoples of Africa.”

Signed

**Centre for Research Education & Development Of - [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights, Rotimi Sankore, Co-ordinator

**FAHAMU, Firoze Manji, Director

**International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Aidan White, General Secretary

**The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Luckson Chipare, Regional Director

**World Association of Newspapers (WAN), Timothy Balding, Director General

ENDS
Note for Editors: The petition was launched by CREDO for Freedom of Expression and Associated Rights and FAHAMU on June 5th in Pambazuka the mass circulating weekly electronic newsletter focussing on rights and development issues in Africa.

** The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) is a dynamic, member-driven network of national chapters coordinated by a professional regional secretariat which seeks - through monitoring, training, capacity building, research and the distribution of information - to foster free independent and diverse media throughout southern Africa in the service of democracy and development as stated in the Windhoek Declaration and the African Charter on Broadcasting.

For further information contact:

MISA in Mozambique: Avenida Emilia Dausse No. 389 Maputo R/C

Tel: +258 1302842 ;Fax: +258 1302833
Email: [email protected]

MISA regional office in Namibia: 21 Johann Albrecht Street
Private Bag 13386, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

**The Centre for Research Education & Development Of - [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights is an International human rights organisation focusing on work in Africa. CREDO believes that freedom of expression and other strongly associated rights, are major platforms on which all civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights stand.

CREDO’s work focuses on themes in Africa related to: freedom of expression, media freedom, rights/access to information and information resources; freedom of opinion, association, assembly, political participation and related rights; and anti-discrimination issues e.g. discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity

CREDO International Office:

Centre for Research Education & Development Of
- [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights.

73-75 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD, UK

Tel: + 44 20 77875501, Fax:+ 44 20 77875502

E-mail: Media – [email protected] , General – [email protected]

**Fahamu is committed to supporting progressive social change in the South through using information and communication technologies. Fahamu believes that civil society organisations have a critical role to play in defending human rights, and that information and communications technologies can and should be harnessed for that cause. We are committed to enabling civil society organisations to use the Internet in the interests of promoting social justice.

FAHAMU

14 Standingford House, Cave Street, Oxford OX4 1BA, UK

Tel: 01865-791777, Fax: 01865-203009

Email: [email protected]

**The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the worlds largest organisation of journalists and represents 500, 000 journalists in more than 100 countries. The IFJ promotes international action to defend press freedom and social justice through strong, free and independent trade unions of journalists.

In Africa the IFJ works with its numerous affiliates and through its Media For Democracy in Africa Programme: Opposes discrimination of all kinds and condemns the use of media as propaganda or to promote intolerance and conflict; Believes in freedom of political and cultural expression and defends trade union and other basic human rights; and works to improve conditions for independence of journalists and high standards of journalism in the African media.

For further Inquiries contact:

International Federation of Journalists, IPC-Residence Palace
Rue de la Loi 155, B-1040 Brussels, BELGIUM
Telephone: 32-2-235 22 00 ; Telefax: 32-2-235 22 19
E-Mail: [email protected]

**The Paris-based World Association of Newspapers (WAN), the global organisation for the newspaper industry, represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 100 countries, 13 news agencies and nine regional and world-wide press groups.

WAN also publishes RAP 21 a newsletter for RAP 21 the African Press Network for the 21st Century. It was launched two years ago by the WAN together with the Union of Publishers in Central Africa (UEPAC). RAP 21 amongst other activities and objectives, co-ordinates support for the independent media in Africa, with a view to developing media pluralism.

Inquiries to: Kajsa Tornroth, Director, Press Freedom Programme, WAN, 25 rue d'Astorg, 75008 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47428500. Fax: +33 1 47424948 E-mail: [email protected]

His Excellency
President Thabo Mbeki
President of Republic of South Africa,
And
Chair of African Union.

His Excellency
President Joaquim Alberto Chissano

President of the Republic of Mozambique

And
Incoming Chair of the African Union.

July 8 2003

Your Excellencies

Call for African leaders to release all incarcerated journalists and repeal anti media and anti freedom of expression legislation

We are writing to express our concern over the continued incarceration of and harassment of journalists in the majority of African Countries for no other reason than carrying out their legitimate duties. We are also very concerned about the persistent violation of freedom of expression in Africa, which denies Africans the opportunity to participate in democratic debate towards solving the many problems facing the continent.

The multitude of challenges facing Africa includes improving education, healthcare, HIV/AIDs, agriculture, building centres for scientific and technological, provision of adequate housing, conflict resolution - peace and stability and so forth. These challenges cannot be met without the active participation of the citizens of African countries.

Active participation of citizens in shaping policy and decision making of their countries is however impossible if their own governments continue to deny them the rights necessary to ensure such participation. These include the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, association and political participation, as well as media freedom to facilitate a free exchange of information, ideas and opinion.

However these rights continue to be violated by numerous government despite the fact that virtually all African countries have signed up to or ratified the constitutive Act of the African union, the African Charter on Peoples and Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other similar documents.

May 25th 2003 marked 40 years of the celebration of Africa liberation day and the formation of the Organisation of African Unity. Similarly May 26th 2003 marked the second anniversary of the formal establishment of the African Union

It saddens us greatly therefore to note that more media houses have been shut down, and more journalists have been imprisoned, killed and driven into exile in the last forty years of independence of African countries than in the same period during the anti-colonial struggles that proceeded independence. With the exception of very few African governments, most have retained pre independence anti-media and anti-freedom of expression legislation that the colonial governments used to legitimise their incarceration of journalists in that era which remains one of the most shameful for the human race. Some have even managed ‘improve’ on such repressive legislation.

It was with great hope and expectation that all Africans and friends of Africa welcomed the launch of the African Union and looked forward to a new future based on its constitutive Acts. However two years into this bold experiment, no significant progress has been made. Even worse, two of the first five countries to sign up i.e. Eritrea and Zimbabwe having been turned into living hells for the media by the governments of those countries.

We therefore lend our voice to the numerous calls that have been made by regional and international organisations to the concerned African leaders to without delay release all incarcerated journalists, re-open all closed media houses, repeal anti-media legislation and recognise the importance of a free press, freedom of expression and other associated rights as vital ingredients necessary to build free, democratic and prosperous societies.

Only when this is done will the NEPAD initiative and any future similar initiatives have any real meaning for the peoples of Africa.

Yours Sincerely

Sign [List of signatories]

CC: Governments of the member countries of the African Union C/o African Union secretariat

LIST OF SIGNATORIES – Some of the 143 Signatories include the 71 undersigned.

[Signatories include: African and international journalists/media and freedom of expression organisations; African and international civil society and human rights organisations; individual lawyers, journalists, intellectuals, academics and human rights campaigners

AMARC -World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Africa, Shingai Nyoka, Communications Officer ,South Africa

Amnesty International, Kolawole Olaniyan, Africa Legal Adviser, Legal and International Organisations, United Kingdom (personal capacity)

Amnesty International Africa Regional Office, Musa Gassama
Africa Human Rights Defenders Network Coordinator, Uganda

ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression
John Barker, Director Africa Programme, South Africa

Arusha Women Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre (AWLAHURIC) Martha Lyimo, Tanzania

Association des Défenses des Droits de l'Homme et pour lq Démocrqtie en Afrique, SEUMO, Hugues Bertin, Secrétaire Général, Cameroon

Association Internationale de Journaliste, Ahmed Kahin, Belgium

Black Members Council of the National Union of Journalists, Alex Pascall, Chair, United Kingdom and Ireland

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), Joel Ruimy, Executive Director, Canada

Cartoonists Rights Network, Robert Russell, IFEX member

11. Center for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES), Shobhakar Budhathoki, General Secretary, Nepal

Centre for Democratic and Strategic Management (IDEA), Ndimara Tegambwage, Executive Director, Tanzania

Conciliation Resources, Dr. Abiodun Onadipe
Media & Conflict Programme Manager, United Kingdom

Conflict Transformation Program, Austin G.C.Onuoha, United States (Also Executive Secretary/Head of Conflict Resolution Human Rights Commission, Abakaliki Nigeria

CREDO for Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights, Rotimi Sankore, Coordinator, United Kingdom/Senegal,

Department of Journalism, Technikon Pretoria, Pedro Diederichs, Head of Department, South Africa

Ethiopian Free press Journalists' Association (EFJA), Kifle Mulat, President, Ethiopia

Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), Negash Gessesse, Secretary General, Ethiopia (Personal capacity)

Fahamu, Firoze Manji, Director, United Kingdom/South Africa

FRATERNITE MATIN JOURNALISTE, Sylvain Doua Gouly, Cote d'Ivoire

Global Pan African Movement, Fatoumata Toure, Ex Officio Member of the Secretariat, Uganda

Group for Environmental Monitoring (GEM), Tebogo Mahapa, Information Co-ordinator, South Africa

Human Rights Watch, Bronwen Manby
Deputy Director, Africa Division, United Kingdom

Independent Journalism Centre, Sola Isola, Nigeria

Independent Journalism Centre (IJC), Corina Cepoi, Project Director, Republic of Moldova

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Aidan White, General Secretary, Belgium

International Press Centre, Tunde Aremu, Senior Programme Officer, Nigeria

Internews Europe, Eric Johnson, Executive Director, France

Journalism and Media Studies Department, Rhodes University, Guy Berger, Head of Department, South Africa

Journalists for Christ, Lekan Otufodunrin, National Coordinator, Nigeria

Le Patriote, Seydou Kone, Reporter, Cote d'Ivoire (Personal Capacity)

Liberia Institute of Journalism Vinnie Hodges, Executive Director, Liberia

Legal Resources Foundation, Henry Maina, Programme Officer Research & Advocacy, Kenya

L’association des journalistes tunisiens, Lofti Hajji member du bureau exicutif, Tunisia

Malawi Social Action Fund, Jennifer Fowler
Communications specialist , Malawi

Malebo Broadcast Channel, Bimansha Salomon, DIRECTEUR DES PROGRAMMES, DRC

Mauritius Union of Journalists, Soodhakur Ramlallah, Secretary, Mauritius

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Luckson Chipare, Regional Director, Namibia

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Mozambique National Chapter, Alfredo Libombo Tomás, National Director, Mozambique

Mmegi Publishing Trust, Motlhaleemang Ntebela, Executive Secretary, Botswana

Mon Unity League, Lita Davidson, Canada

Monitor Publications, David Balikowa, Managing Editor, Uganda

Media Organized to Report in Exile (MORE),
Hisenburg Q.Togba, Secretary General [consortium of exiled journalists based in] Accra Ghana

Media Workers Association of South Africa, (MWASA)
Tuwani Gumani, Deputy President, South Africa

Network for Defence of Independent Media (NDIMA) Kenya

National Union of Journalists (UK and Ireland), Jeremy Dear, General Secretary, United Kingdom

Netherlands Institute for Southern Africa, Ruth "De Vries", Project Office: Media and Freedom of Expression Programme, Netherlands

Nigeria Council for National Awareness, Bayo Kumolu-Johnson, Secretary General, Nigeria

Nigerian Union of Journalisits, Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Secretary, Abuja Council, Nigeria

Norwegian PEN Centre, Carl Morten Iversen, Administrative Secretary

ONE AFRICA (a young organisation of all Pan Africanist students of Benin university) Whannou Sourou, Benin

Organisation de Promotion des Droits de l'Homme et de la Démocratie (OPDHD), Sekouna Keita, Guinea

Pakistan Press Foundation, Owais Aslam Ali, Secretary General, Pakistan

Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA), Mamadou Ndao, Coordinator, Senegal

People's Movement for Human Rights Education, Shulamith Koenig, Executive Director, United States

Realworldnews.org, Rahul Goswami, India/Singapore

SCORES 2000Weekly Newspaper, Sylvain "Timamo Tedjon, Publisher/Chief Editor, Cameroon

Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Sheik Mohamed Kabba, Secretary General, Sierra Leone

Société des Editeurs de la Presse Privée, SY Cheriff, Président, Burkino Faso

Society for Women and AIDS, Alie Eleveld, Kenya

Southern African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (SACCORD), David Simpson, Chairman, Zambia

Southern Africa Journalists Association (SAJA) Martin Musunka President, South Africa

63. Spectrum Broadcasting, Chris Anyanwu, Abuja, Nigeria
*(Editors note) Chris if one of the "Innocent four" one of four Nigerian journalists/editors jailed for life by a military tribunal for exposing an alleged coup and the death sentences passed by General Abacha’s regime on President Obasanjo and others as a farce. The report was a lifesaver for the accused. The four journalists served several years of their sentence and were only released after Gen. Abacha died.

TBC 93.0 FM, Tchoumi Bertrand, Editor in Chief, Cameroon

Uganda Newspaper editors and proprietors Association (UNEPA), James Walugembe, President, Uganda (Personal Capacity)

Union des journalistes indépendants du Togo, Tadegnon Noel, Togo

West African Journalists Association UJAO/WAJA , Ibrahim Coulibaly, President, Mali

Women Advocates and Research Documentation Centre, (WARDC) Abiola Akiyode Afolabi, Coordinator, Nigeria

World Association of Newspapers (WAN), Timothy Balding, Director General, France

World Press Freedom Committee, Marilyn Greene, Executive Director, USA

71. World Free Press Institute, Clayton Haswell, President, United States.

For the full list of signatories, please visit: http://www.fahamu.org.uk/newspage.php?id=42_0_1_0_M

ENDS

For further information In Mozambique or Internationally contact:

**MISA in Mozambique: Avenida Emilia Dausse No. 389 Maputo R/C

Tel: +258 1302842 ;Fax: +258 1302833
Email: [email protected]

MISA regional office in Namibia: 21 Johann Albrecht Street
Private Bag 13386, Windhoek, Namibia
Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) is a dynamic, member-driven network of national chapters coordinated by a professional regional secretariat which seeks - through monitoring, training, capacity building, research and the distribution of information - to foster free independent and diverse media throughout southern Africa in the service of democracy and development as stated in the Windhoek Declaration and the African Charter on Broadcasting.

**CREDO International Office:

Centre for Research Education & Development Of
- [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights.

73-75 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD, UK

Tel: + 44 20 77875501, Fax:+ 44 20 77875502

E-mail: Media – [email protected] , General – [email protected]

The Centre for Research Education & Development Of - [CREDO]- Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights is an International human rights organisation focusing on work in Africa. CREDO believes that freedom of expression and other strongly associated rights, are major platforms on which all civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights stand.

CREDO’s work focuses on themes in Africa related to: freedom of expression, media freedom, rights/access to information and information resources; freedom of opinion, association, assembly, political participation and related rights; and anti-discrimination issues e.g. discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity

**FAHAMU

14 Standingford House, Cave Street, Oxford OX4 1BA, UK

Tel: 01865-791777, Fax: 01865-203009

Email: [email protected]

Fahamu is committed to supporting progressive social change in the South through using information and communication technologies. Fahamu believes that civil society organisations have a critical role to play in defending human rights, and that information and communications technologies can and should be harnessed for that cause. We are committed to enabling civil society organisations to use the Internet in the interests of promoting social justice.

**For further Inquiries contact:

International Federation of Journalists, IPC-Residence Palace
Rue de la Loi 155, B-1040 Brussels, BELGIUM
Telephone: 32-2-235 22 00 ; Telefax: 32-2-235 22 19
E-Mail: [email protected]

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is the worlds largest organisation of journalists and represents 500, 000 journalists in more than 100 countries. The IFJ promotes international action to defend press freedom and social justice through strong, free and independent trade unions of journalists.

In Africa the IFJ works with its numerous affiliates and through its Media For Democracy in Africa Programme: Opposes discrimination of all kinds and condemns the use of media as propaganda or to promote intolerance and conflict; Believes in freedom of political and cultural expression and defends trade union and other basic human rights; and works to improve conditions for independence of journalists and high standards of journalism in the African media.

I**Inquiries to: Kajsa Tornroth, Director, Press Freedom Programme, World Association of Newspapers (WAN), 25 rue d'Astorg, 75008 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47428500. Fax: +33 1 47424948 E-mail: [email protected]

The Paris-based World Association of Newspapers (WAN), the global organisation for the newspaper industry, represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 100 countries, 13 news agencies and nine regional and world-wide press groups.

WAN also publishes RAP 21 a newsletter for RAP 21 the African Press Network for the 21st Century. It was launched two years ago by the WAN together with the Union of Publishers in Central Africa (UEPAC). RAP 21 amongst other activities and objectives, co-ordinates support for the independent media in Africa, with a view to developing media pluralism.