freedom of expression

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has asked the South African Law Reform Commission to investigate amending section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA) to introduce a "shield law" to protect confidential journalistic sources and information.

In a press statement, the organisation says the recent debacle over issuing subpoenas calling for two e.tv journalists to divulge their sources and confidential information highlighted the controversial point at which conflicting rights collide and the manner in which section 205 is abused.

UNESCO and the Walter Sisulu University’s broadcast school have entered into a partnership to train community radio broadcasters from Lesotho and Swaziland. The training seminar will focus on starting up community radio stations in both these countries. The training will take place at the broadcast studios at the Walter Sisulu University’s media school in East London from the 16 – 21 August 2009.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) today called for the urgent release of jailed journalists in Gambia, adding their voices to growing global protest at the press freedom crisis in the country after judges jailed six journalists for two years last week because they had supported a statement by the country's press union criticising the government.

Lubna Ahmed al-Hussein, a Sudanese journalist facing 40 lashes for wearing
'indecent' trousers, is returning to court after waiving immunity granted
United Nations (UN) workers so that she can challenge Sudan's harsh laws.

Hussein is to be judged under Article 152 of Sudanese law, which decrees up
to 40 lashes for anyone 'who commits an indecent act which violates public
morality or wears indecent clothing'.

Hussein, in her 30s and whose husband died of kidney failure, could have

The pledges trip easily off the tongues of global leaders on summit occasions, but experts canvassed by Agence France-Presse fear African nations may forever struggle to be truly heard no matter the global forum.

Neither South Africa nor Egypt could ever be said to represent the vast swathes of sub-Saharan Africa to which most aid is directed.

"South Africa cannot represent a whole continent," said Tiberius Barasa of the Institute of Policy Analysis and Research in Nairobi, Kenya.

'Media development indicators: A framework for assessing media development' defines indicators of media development in line with the priority areas of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC): promotion of freedom of expression and media pluralism; development of community media; and human resource development (capacity building of media professionals and institutional capacity building). The paper suggests five major categories of indicators that can be used to analyse the media development of a country.

The South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) has given President Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet a thumbs-down.

“There are too many portfolios tasked with economic policy making. The chance of meaningful implementation of coherent economic policy is limited,” says SAIRR deputy CEO, Frans Cronje.

Zimbabwean journalists want the country's new unity government to scrap tough media laws which critics say President Robert Mugabe has used to muzzle his opponents.

The move follows a demand from western donors that the unity government carry out wider political and media reforms before they can commit funding to the country’s economic recovery programme.