25 August 1995

Alert

BBC news items censored by KBC




Reports indicate that the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) on
several occasions has tampered, without authorization, with British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news items about Kenya that Minister
of Information Johnstone Makau claims discredit the government. The
BBC contracted with the KBC to re-broadcast its world television
news on KBC stations. The contract between the BBC and the KBC
stipulates that the government may not interfere in its news
broadcasts.




The most recent censored BBC report was its story on the beating of
Richard Leakey, a founder of the yet-to-be registered SAFINA
political party, and six journalists, including a BBC stringer (See
separate IFEX CH alert dated 25 August 1995). On 18 August 1995,
the BBC issued a statement objecting to the KBC's interference with
the broadcast, and threatened to end the television contract should
interference continue. While the Kenyan administration has yet to
respond officially to this statement, the Minister of Information
stated earlier this month that the contract would not be renewed
unless the tone of BBC reports about Kenya changed.

The BBC has been esteemed globally as an exemplary news
organization with respect to its objectivity in news reporting and
for its far-reaching news coverage. The BBC also remains valuable
to Kenya's population as a source of international information and
education. A discontinuation of its services would truncate the
people's access to this information, to which they have a right.


Recommended Action


Send appeals to Kenyan authorities:
  • protesting their acts of unauthorized censorship of the BBC
  • reminding them that censorship is a violation of the right of
    free expression, which is guaranteed by Article 19 of the United
    Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 19 of the
    International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and Article
    9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, all to which
    Kenya is a signatory
  • hoping that they will ask the KBC to abide by the terms of its
    contract with the BBC and cease censoring its reports so as not to
    deprive the Kenyan people of their right to information
  • supporting the BBC's ultimatum that, should unapproved
    interference continue, it will terminate its television operations
    in Kenya





    Appeals To



    His Excellency President Daniel arap Moi
    Office of the President
    P.O. Box 30510
    Nairobi, Kenya
    Fax: +254 2 33 73 40 via Ministry of Foreign Affairs




    COPIES TO:
     
    Attorney General Amos Wako
    Minister of Information Johnstone Makau
    Fax: +254 2 33 73 40 via Ministry of Foreign Affairs






    Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.






    Source:

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