(MISA/IFEX) – At least nineteen newspapers have been cautioned by the Tanzanian government over the past year and threatened with government action because of their content. Minister of State Responsible for Information Muhammed Seif Khatib alluded to this fact while he was speaking during a debate in parliament. Khatib added that the government had taken […]
(MISA/IFEX) – At least nineteen newspapers have been cautioned by the
Tanzanian government over the past year and threatened with government
action because of their content. Minister of State Responsible for
Information Muhammed Seif Khatib alluded to this fact while he was speaking
during a debate in parliament. Khatib added that the government had taken
legal action against fifty newspapers between 1987 and 1999 for publishing
false stories and socially and politically inflammatory articles.
Khatib went on to threaten newspapers with deregistration if they published
obscene articles and cartoons with negative social impact. Quoted in the
daily newspaper, “The African”, Khatib said the government would continue to
deal squarely with publications that violated professional ethics and if
need be, would take more stringent measures against them.
The minister told parliament that measures which the government had taken in
the past included oral and written warnings, suspensions, bannings or
complete deregistration after publications were found guilty of various
offences, including publishing seditious materials, libel or provocative
materials likely to fan political or religious disharmony.
Khatib added that some of the publications had been censored after they were
found to be publishing pornographic material and engaging in dirty language.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
on
the right to freedom of expression, speech and the media
freedom of expression and opinion to repeal and/or amend respective
legislation to bring it in line with international standards such as Article
19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Appeals To
Muhammed Seif Khatib
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Responsible for Information
Fax: +255 51 112 850Frederick Sumaya
Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Tanzania
Fax: +255 51 112 847
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
