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Articles - South Africa

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South Africa

Proposed media laws remind protesters of apartheid days

Thirty-three years after "Black Wednesday", when the apartheid regime banned two newspapers and clamped down on anti-apartheid activists and associations, press freedom advocates in South Africa took to the streets of Johannesburg to protest proposed regulatory media laws that "haven't been seen since the end of apartheid," report the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI).

South Africa

Legislation undermines free expression

Media professionals in South Africa say a possible new bill is in reality a form of censorship, obstructing journalists from doing their jobs, reports the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). Meanwhile, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) is concerned about another bill already signed into law that has introduced a system of pre-publication censorship.

South Africa

UN CARICATURISTE SUD-AFRICAIN REÇOIT LA RÉCOMPENSE DU CRNI

South Africa

SOUTH AFRICAN CARTOONIST RECEIVES CRNI AWARD

The annual Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award of the Cartoonists Rights Network, International (CRNI) was given to South African Jonathan Shapiro on 6 July 2007 at a dinner in Washington, D.C.

South Africa

LE FXI INTERVIENT DANS UNE AFFAIRE DE BIJOU PORTÉ SUR LE NEZ

South Africa

FXI INTERVENES IN NOSE STUD CASE

Does a school ban on wearing nose studs constitute a violation of freedom of expression? In South Africa, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) is arguing that it does. It has submitted a "friend of the court" (amicus curiae) brief in a case now being heard by the country's top court.

South Africa

UN RAPPORT DU FXI DÉNONCE L'INTERDICTION DES MANIFESTATIONS DE PROTESTATION

South Africa

FXI REPORT SLAMS PROTEST BANS

In South Africa, the right to protest and express one's opinions is guaranteed by the Constitution. However, local municipalities and police routinely violate this right by banning demonstrations held by anti-poverty activists, a new report by the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has found.

South Africa

LE FXI OUVRE UN BUREAU D'AIDE JURIDIQUE POUR DÉFENDRE LA LIBRE EXPRESSION

South Africa

FXI OPENS LEGAL AID CLINIC TO DEFEND FREE EXPRESSION

Victims of censorship in South Africa, especially the poor, will now have better access to legal justice, thanks to a new legal aid clinic opened by the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI).

South Africa

LE FXI ET LE MISA DÉNONCENT UN PROJET DE LOI

South Africa

FXI, MISA PROTEST DRAFT BILL

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) and the South African chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) have expressed alarm at a proposed bill they say could impose direct censorship on news media.

South Africa

Une campagne en Afrique du Sud établit un lien entre liberté des médias et démocratie

South Africa

LE FXI MET EN GARDE CONTRE LES MENACES À LA LIBRE EXPRESSION EN AFRIQUE DU SUD

South Africa

FXI WARNS OF THREATS TO FREE EXPRESSION IN SOUTH AFRICA

State violence against peaceful demonstrators and legal threats by corporations to shut down critical websites are on the rise in South Africa, says the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) in its latest report.

South Africa

LE FXI MET EN GARDE CONTRE L'ACCROISSEMENT DE LA CENSURE

South Africa

FXI WARNS OF GROWING CENSORSHIP

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) will present a report this week in Brussels aimed at alerting the European Union to a new "state of emergency" in South Africa in which censorship is on the rise.

South Africa

LES LOIS DE L'ÉPOQUE DE L'APARTHEID ENTRAVENT LA LIBRE EXPRESSION

South Africa

APARTHEID LAWS HAMPER FREE EXPRESSION

Compared to many African countries, South Africa enjoys a relatively free and healthy media. However, apartheid-era laws that restrict press freedom remain on the statutes, says the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI). The organisation says reforming these laws will be a key focus of its upcoming campaigning activities.

South Africa

LE PROJET DE LOI ANTITERRORISTE EST ÉCARTÉ

South Africa

ANTI-TERRORISM BILL SHELVED

South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress, has temporarily shelved a controversial anti-terrorism bill that critics say seriously compromises fundamental rights and freedoms in the country, reports the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI).

South Africa

LA CENSURE EST BIEN ANCRÉE, DIT UN RAPPORT DU FXI

South Africa

CENSORSHIP ENTRENCHED, SAYS FXI REPORT

Censorship in South Africa is now firmly entrenched, with four trends emerging in the last six months, according to a new report by the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI).

South Africa

UN NOUVEAU RÉSEAU COMBAT LE PARTI PRIS ANTIFÉMININ DANS LES MÉDIAS

South Africa

NEW NETWORK FIGHTS GENDER BIAS IN THE MEDIA

In South Africa, where black women make up 45 per cent of the population yet account for only five per cent of news sources, a coalition of organisations has launched a national network aimed at rolling back discrimination against women in the press, reports the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).

South Africa

LE FXI INAUGURE DES ARCHIVES EN LIGNE DE LA RADIODIFFUSION PUBLIQUE EN AFRIQUE DU SUD

South Africa

FXI LAUNCHES ONLINE ARCHIVE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING IN SOUTH AFRICA

The Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has launched an online archive of the history of public broadcasting in post-apartheid South Africa, giving governments, journalists and activists around the world instant access to information on transforming a state-run broadcaster into a diverse, independent and publicly owned media outlet.

South Africa

FXI SPOTLIGHTS FREE EXPRESSION AND PUBLIC BROADCASTING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) has published two new books examining public protests in South Africa and what it calls the "crisis of accountability" confronting the country's public broadcaster.

South Africa

RICH-POOR GAP SPURS MORE CENSORSHIP, SAYS FXI

In South Africa, a widening gap between rich and poor is contributing to a rise in censorship as social movements increasingly turn to public demonstrations to voice their opinions, a new Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) report says. Surveying the activities of FXI's year-old Anti-Censorship Programme, the report finds that very few cases in the past year involved traditional forms of censorship, such as jailing journalists or muzzling media outlets.

South Africa

LA DATE DU CONGRÈS DES ÉDITEURS AFRICAINS EST FIXÉE

South Africa

DATE SET FOR AFRICAN EDITORS' CONFERENCE

The South African National Editor's Forum (SANEF) has fixed new dates for an All Africa Editors' Conference in Johannesburg, bringing together dozens of editors from print and electronic media to discuss the strengthening of press freedom in Africa.

South Africa

LE PROJET DE LOI ANTITERRORISTE SUSCITE LA PEUR

South Africa

ANTI-TERRORISM BILL RAISES FEARS

A coalition of South African civil society groups, including the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), has joined forces to campaign against a proposed anti-terrorism law they say represents a "serious infraction of fundamental rights and freedoms."

South Africa

LE FXI ACCUEILLE FAVORABLEMENT LA MODIFICATION DE LA LOI SUR LA RADIODIFFUSION

South Africa

FXI WELCOMES AMENDED BROADCASTING LAW

Calling it a major victory for freedom of expression and editorial independence, the Free Expression Institute (FXI) has welcomed recent changes to a proposed broadcasting law that have calmed critics' fears of increased government interference in South Africa's public broadcaster.

South Africa

LE FXI ET LA FIJ CRAIGNENT L'INGÉRENCE POLITIQUE DANS LA RADIODIFFUSION PUBLIQUE

South Africa

FXI, IFJ FEAR POLITICAL MEDDLING IN PUBLIC BROADCASTER

The Free Expression Institute (FXI) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have expressed concern that the South African government's proposal to amend the Broadcasting Act could make the country's public broadcaster more vulnerable to political influence.

South Africa

PROJET DE LOI ENVAHISSANT SUR L'INTERCEPTION ET LA SURVEILLANCE SÈME L'INQUIÉTUD

South Africa

CONCERN OVER INVASIVE INTERCEPTION & MONITORING BILL

Anti-censorship organisations and journalists in South Africa are concerned about the proposed Interception and Monitoring Bill, report the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). The bill would "allow blocking and snooping on the Internet, all in the interest of 'state security'," reports MISA. CPJ notes that the bill would empower the police, the National Defence Force, the Intelligence Agency and the Secret Service to "establish, equip, operate and maintain monitoring centres." If adopted, the legislation would allow the government to monitor electronic and cellular communication, in some cases without warrants, under the pretext of curbing organized crime, says CPJ.

South Africa

LE RACISME DES MÉDIAS EST TOUJOURS SOURCE DE CONTROVERSE

South Africa

RACISM IN THE MEDIA STILL SOURCE OF CONTROVERSY

While the South African Human Rights Commission has lifted the subpoenas issued to more than 40 editors in February for racism, the issue remains a contentious one for many. The Commission summoned these editors after a year-long investigation into racism in the media, prompted by the Black Lawyers' Association's allegations that a number of newspapers had "unfairly" targeted black professionals "when writing about corruption," reports the Commonwealth Press Union's (CPU) bulletin "CPU News" (April 2000.) Although editors could have faced six months in prison had they refused to comply with the subpoenas, many editors stated that they would not have attended the hearings because the Commission's actions "breached constitutional guarantees of free speech." Groups such as ARTICLE 19 and the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) also critiqued the summons, stating that while racism exists in the South African media, the measures adopted by the Commission set a harmful precedent for the free press, and contravened "the guarantee of freedom of expression under international and constitutional law." The Commission would still like five black and three white editors to participate voluntarily in its process, however, according to "CPU News", the Commission's original "tactics" have harmed the public's support for its work.

South Africa

PROTESTENT CONTRE LES AUDIENCES SUR LE RACISME DANS LES MÉDIAS

South Africa

FREE EXPRESSION GROUPS PROTEST RACISM HEARINGS

The South African Human Rights Commission's recent subpoena of more than thirty editors and journalists for hearings on racism in the media poses "a very real threat to freedom of expression and editorial independence," reports the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) and ARTICLE 19. At least six editors and journalists from 24 news organisations have been ordered by the Commission to appear before the courts, and face the threat of fines or six months in jail, says WAN. "Financial Times" editor Richard Lambert is among those subpoenaed, making him the first editor thus far of a foreign publication ordered to attend the inquiry, reports the European Journalism Centre (EJC). WAN and ARTICLE 19 clarify that while racism is clearly a problem in the media that needs to be addressed, this commission is not the appropriate body to handle these concerns. Outside of the use of hate speech which is prohibited under international and national law, ARTICLE 19 states that the "the guarantee of freedom of expression under international and constitutional law prohibits public bodies from employing coercive means to impose standards, including of racial tolerance, on newspapers." WAN insists that the problem of racism must be addressed within the larger framework of "existing legal provisions which apply to all citizens of society, and that specific measures applicable only to the media would be an infringement of press freedom."

South Africa

LE FXI SALUE LA LOI SUR L'ACCÈS À L'INFORMATION

South Africa

RECULS DE LA LIBERTÉ D?EXPRESSION

South Africa

SETBACKS FOR FREE EXPRESSION REPORTED

The Reuters international news agency has closed its office in Cape Town after months of receiving threats, reports the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI). Although Reuters has not specified the nature of the threats, it attests that they only affected its Cape Town office. Reuters continues to work in Johannesburg, and will attempt to cover news in Cape Town through other means. FXI states that this closure is "a significant setback for freedom of expression in the Western Cape especially, which was already a very difficult environment for journalists to operate in, given the levels of violence." FXI also fears that this will lead to an overall chilling effect in journalism in the country.

South Africa

UNE COMMISSION EST CHARGÉE DE FAIRE ENQUÊTE SUR LE RACISME DANS LES MÉDIAS

South Africa

COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE "MEDIA RACISM"

The South African government's investigation of "racism in the media" infringes freedom of the press, says the World Association of Newspapers (WAN). The South African Human Rights Commission, which is to carry out the investigation into racism "in what is produced and disseminated by the media," has the power of search, seizure and arrest. "It goes without saying that our organisation finds racism intolerable and opposes the use of media to encourage it. On the other hand, we find it completely inappropriate for a government commission to set itself up as a judge in these matters or to interfere in any way at all with editorial content," says a letter from WAN President Bengt Braun to President Nelson Mandela. WAN also questioned the timing of the investigation in the run-up to Parliamentary elections.

South Africa

LA LOI SUR LA PROTECTION DES SOURCES SERA RÉVISÉE

South Africa

LAW AGAINST PROTECTION OF SOURCES TO BE REVIEWED

South African Justice Minister Dullah Omar announced that a law forcing journalists to reveal their sources will be reviewed along with other apartheid-era laws which restrict the media, reports the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) in the latest issue of "FXI Update" (October/November 1998). A delegation of editors from the South African National Editors' Forum (SANEF) in August reportedly convinced several ministers to review section 205 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which FXI said "has been used, especially by the previous government, to try to force journalists to disclose their sources of information."Until a new law can be passed guaranteeing the right to protect one's sources, a temporary agreement was made between the Justice Department and SANEF that "would have the effect of preventing the indiscriminate use of section 205 against journalists."