Freedom of the press on the decline in Mozambique

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Freedom of the press on the decline in Mozambique

7:18 CAT | 04 May 2017

caption - MISA reports 40 cases of threats to journalists between 2010 and 2015

Access to information and freedom of the press and of expression are not yet a full feature of life in Mozambique, where journalists from different social backgrounds are often prevented from doing their job freely.

A report released yesterday by the Social Communication Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) on the state of press freedom and expression in the country between 2010 and 2015 says that violations of press freedom are mainly due to lack of knowledge of legislation among public managers, politicians and other agents.

Maputo and Nampula provinces occupy the first and second position in the list of violation of freedoms.

The report produced on the basis of ‘denúncias’ and research shows that around 45 cases of press crimes, related to death threats, physical assaults, arrests of journalists, and others, were reported between 2010 and 2015. The city of Maputo recorded 16 cases and Nampula six.

The report says that the general elections in 2014 saw several freedom of the press violations.

But president of the Southern African Social Communications Institute (MISA) Provincial Nucleus in Nampula, Sitoi Lutxeque, says that the statistics do not reveal the true extent because journalists’ sensitivity is still far below the desired level, from the point of view of complaints.

Lutxeque says that access to information sources has been a major challenge in the practice of journalism, and that it considers that, “with the approval of the Right to Information Law and its regulations, our commitment is to ensure its dissemination”.

Lutxeque also states that many of the problems that afflict society, especially journalists, are due to the lack of knowledge about rights among holders of political, economic and judicial office, but said that his organisation would work with all stakeholders.

Speaking at a Freedom of Press Day event in Nampula, provincial governor Bernardo Alide said that the executive was committed to enhancing the rights of journalists, highlighting access to information and freedom of the press and expression.

Alide said there had been a significant improvement in access to information. Some journalists agree that the legal framework of the sector is much better, but the main challenge remains the implementation of the laws on press freedom and expression.

In recent years, according to the MISA report, the environment in which journalists operate has deteriorated, mainly due to the political situation and the discovery of the so-called hidden debts.

Source: Voa Portugues