11 May 2005
JED LAUNCHES TRANSPARENCY CAMPAIGN
As citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) prepare to vote in the 30 June 2005 elections, Journaliste en danger (JED) has launched a campaign to promote government transparency and raise awareness of the media's role in countering corruption.
The IFEX member says the campaign will focus mainly on promoting the need for an access to information law that will give citizens the right to obtain public information from authorities. It will also highlight the importance of the media's role in exposing corruption and informing citizens about issues in the public interest.
JED says the media can play a crucial role in ensuring transparency in the electoral process. Good reporting provides voters with the information they need to make informed decisions and keeps political candidates on their toes.
Journalists who report on corruption in the DRC are often physically attacked or imprisoned on defamation charges, says JED. Since 1 January 2005, the organisation has registered at least 37 cases of attacks.
Visit these links:
- JED:
http://www.jed-afrique.org/full_view.php?id_alerte=384
- IFEX Alerts on DRC: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/35/
- Media and Elections: An Elections Reporting Handbook: http://ims.3wp.dk/?ID=143&WEBID=0
- CPJ Report on DRC: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2004/DRC_9_04/DRC_9_04.html
- ARTICLE 19's Model Freedom of Information Law: http://www.idlo.int/texts/IDLO/mis7007.pdf
- International Crisis Group: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=2829&l=1
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