A new website promoting the campaign to repeal criminal defamation, insult, false news and sedition laws in Africa has been launched. Leading campaign groups, including WAN-IFRA, have been pooling resources and knowledge to make for a dynamic campaign that's already showing results.
"The key to this campaign is firstly to coordinate our efforts to rid Africa of these outdated laws and secondly, to have a one stop shop for all the latest information", Alison Meston, Director Global Campaigns said.
"We are encouraging media professionals, civil society, lawyers, academics and ordinary citizens to get involved in the campaign so that the fundamental right of freedom of expression can be shared by all", she said.
The Decriminalisation of Expression Campaign aims to rid Africa of criminal defamation, insult, false news and sedition laws. The campaign is spearheaded by the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, Advocate Pansy Tlakula, along with organisations spanning the five regions of Africa: East, West, South, Central and North.
The Centre for Human Rights, based at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, act as secretariat to the Campaign. Participating organisations include Article 19, Southern African Litigation Centre, Media Foundation for West Africa, Media Institute of Southern Africa and Kondrad Adenauer Stiftung and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.