5 February 2008

GOVERNMENT LIFTS BAN, CAUTIONS MEDIA


The Kenya government unconditionally lifted the month-long ban on live broadcasting yesterday, reports the Media Institute.

On 4 February, a memo faxed to newsrooms from the Minister for Internal Security said the suspension was to be lifted with immediate effect "in view of the improved situation."

The government's action came on the eve of the hearing of a lawsuit filed by the Media Institute and the Kenya Editors Guild, challenging the legal basis for the ban. Lawyers for both parties appeared in court on 5 February and agreed the suit was settled.

The ban was imposed on 30 December, after President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner in what international and local observers called "seriously flawed" elections. The controversial result triggered unprecedented protests and ethnic violence that has claimed more than 1,000 lives and led to international mediation by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Addressing a press conference a day after the ban was lifted, Information Minister Samuel Poghisio urged the media to be vigilant against inflammatory content. He said that the government would form a task force to probe the conduct of the media around the elections and consider rigorous vetting of foreign correspondents.

Visit these links:
- Media Institute: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/90511/
- IFEX Communiqué, "Media being silenced as political crisis intensifies" (29 January): http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/90350/
(5 February 2008)



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Also from the Communiqué, 5 February 2008

INTERNATIONAL: 2008 FAIR GRANTS FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PROJECTS 5 February 2008 INTERNATIONAL: GRANTS TO ATTEND 2008 GLOBAL INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM CONFERENCE 5 February 2008 INTERNATIONAL: UNESCO RELEASES WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2007 REPORT 5 February 2008 CHINA: TAKE ACTION! CALL FOR CHINA TO RELEASE HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST 5 February 2008 PHILIPPINES: MEDIA USE LAWSUITS TO FIGHT GOVERNMENT HARASSMENT 5 February 2008 IRAQ: CAMERAMAN KILLED IN ROADSIDE BOMB 5 February 2008 SYRIA: AUTHORITIES LAUNCH FRESH CRACKDOWN ON PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS 5 February 2008 INTERNATIONAL: REPRESSIVE GOVERNMENTS FIND NEW WAYS TO ATTACK PRESS; WEST TURNS BLIND EYE, SAY CPJ AND HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH 5 February 2008

Kenya

WiPC interview with Robert Wanyonyi on witnessing and reporting on crime 1 February 2012 ARTICLE 19 publishes analysis of Freedom of Information Bill 1 February 2012 Journalist threatened for his reporting 13 December 2011 Draft Data Protection Bill critically limited, says ARTICLE 19 9 November 2011 Freedom of expression standards should guide the fight against "counterfeit" mobile phones, says ARTICLE 19 7 October 2011 See all alerts: Kenya


Central and Eastern Africa

SOUTH SUDAN: Journalist assaulted in Parliament 9 February 2012 UGANDA: Court acquits “Daily Monitor” editors 8 February 2012 DJIBOUTI: Radio journalist threatened and tortured for 24 hours 3 February 2012


 
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