8 July 2003
IFEX MEMBERS SUPPORT PETITION CAMPAIGN
As African leaders arrive in Mozambique to attend the second summit of the African Union (AU), 17 IFEX members have joined more than 140 press-freedom and human rights groups around the world in calling on governments to release jailed journalists and repeal repressive media laws in Africa.
On 9 July, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) will present a petition on behalf of 140 organisations and individuals to the AU in Maputo, where the summit is being held from 10-12 July.
The petition calls on AU member states 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."
Free-expression rights continue to be violated by numerous African governments despite the fact that virtually all states 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, the petition points out.
The petition was co-ordinated by the Centre for Research Education & Development Of Freedom of Expression & Associated Rights (CREDO) and FAHAMU.
The organisations joined MISA, the International Federation of Journalists and the World Association of Newspapers in issuing a press statement today expressing concern at the AU's lack of progress in strengthening freedom of expression and other human rights. MISA says while the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, created in 1986, has adopted a Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression, questions remain over how these principles will be enforced on states who violate them.
Meanwhile, in a separate letter to AU Secretary General Amara Essy, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed dismay that the issue of press freedom is not on the conference agenda.
"We hope that Your Excellency will use your authority to ensure that the issue of press freedom in Africa is addressed at this conference, and that it remains on the AU agenda in the future. We also hope that you will use the occasion of the Maputo summit to encourage AU members to improve conditions for the media in their respective countries," CPJ said.
CPJ cited five African countries ? Eritrea, Ethiopia, Morocco, Togo and Zimbabwe ? where press-freedom violations are particularly serious, but added that "harassment, intimidation, and imprisonment of reporters, as well as legal restrictions and censorship, are common across the continent."
For more information on the CREDO petition campaign, contact Rotimi Sankore: media@credonet.org
CREDO says it will continue the petition campaign after the AU summit meeting, so those wishing to sign are invited to go to: http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/freeafricanmedia/
Visit these links:
- IFEX: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/51867/
- MISA: http://www.misa.org/sadc_journalists/press_releases/20030703_MISA%20_Supports_Petition.htm
- International Federation of Journalists: http://www.ifj.org/default.asp?Index=1757&Language=EN
- World Association of Newspapers: http://www.wan-press.info/pages/article.php3?id_article=1417
- Committee to Protect Journalists: http://www.cpj.org/protests/03ltrs/AfricaUnion08july03pl.html
- African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights: http://www.achpr.org/html/aboutus.html
- African Union: http://www.africa-union.org/
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