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In response to international media organisations' concerns, information minister agrees to review certain provisions of draft press law

(IPI/IFEX) - The following is a 29 September 2004 press statement:

Addis Ababa, 29 September 2004

PRESS STATEMENT ON MEETING BETWEEN ETHIOPIAN MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ORGANISATIONS ON THE DRAFT PRESS LAW

At a meeting called by the Ministry of Information on 28 September 2004 in Addis Ababa, the International Press Institute, the World Press Freedom Committee, ARTICLE 19 and the Media Institute of Southern Africa discussed the draft press law.

During the meeting, the international organisations reiterated their concerns about the draft press law in their previous submissions. In response, the Minister of Information, Bereket Simon, agreed to review certain provisions of the bill that the media institutions regarded as infringing press freedom and freedom of expression.

These included, among others, a willingness of the government to give print media a further opportunity to set up a self-regulating and voluntary press council instead of a statutory press council, and to revise the law on confidentiality of journalistic sources to meet international standards. He also stated that journalists would not be licensed and that he would consider reviewing the registration requirements for editors.

While the organisations believe it is not necessary in a modern democracy to subject the press to special legislation and regulations, the Minister insisted on the need for a press law to meet Ethiopian circumstances.