(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: London/ Johannesburg 6th August 2003 ARTICLE 19 criticises state of media freedom in Togo Today, ARTICLE 19 released a memorandum criticising the legal regime affecting freedom of expression in Togo. Since the beginning of this year, legislation introduced in 2002 on press cards and […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release:
London/ Johannesburg
6th August 2003
ARTICLE 19 criticises state of media freedom in Togo
Today, ARTICLE 19 released a memorandum criticising the legal regime affecting freedom of expression in Togo. Since the beginning of this year, legislation introduced in 2002 on press cards and strengthening criminal prohibitions has actively been used to arrest and detain journalists who were engaged in reporting that was critical of the government.
The ARTICLE 19 Memorandum provides an extensive legal analysis of the new provisions, which strengthened the existing prohibitions on spreading ‘false news’, provided draconian prison sentences for defamation and insult, prohibited foreign ownership of the media and required all news and political affairs publications to employ a minimum number of licensed ‘professional journalists’, among other things.
ARTICLE 19 believes that these provisions are in breach of internationally agreed upon standards on freedom of expression.
Toby Mendel, Director of the Law Programme, said: “Laws prohibiting false news, criminalising defamation and licensing journalists have no place in a democratic society, as has been confirmed by courts and tribunals in countries around the world. We recommend they be repealed and any criminal convictions against journalists under them be quashed.
Note to editors:
1. The Memorandum provides an analysis of the amendments to the 1998 Press and Communications Law (Press Law Amendments) and the 2002 Law on Press Cards. These were signed into law by the Constitutional Court of Togo on 25 September 2002, following the failure of the President to give them legal force within two weeks of their adoption by Parliament, as constitutionally required.
2. The Memorandum can be found at http://www.article19.org/docimages/1651.doc
A French summary is available at http://www.article19.org/docimages/1650.doc
