Since 2010, there has been significant institutional progress for press freedom in Africa. The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) passed a resolution in November of that year urging governments to repeal criminal defamation. Two resolutions followed: the Pan-African Parliament’s (PAP) passing of the ‘Press Freedom for Development and Governance: Need to Reform’ resolution in 2012, and the ‘Midrand Declaration’ in 2013. Both resolutions condemn violations of media freedom and put safeguards into motion for its protection, including an annual ‘media freedom index’ in Africa and a decision to collectively recognise WAN-IFRA’s Declaration of Table Mountain Campaign to repeal criminal defamation.

Ahead of a crucial vote in the Ukrainian Parliament, WAN-IFRA appeals to parliamentarians to vote to rescind proposed amendments to the Criminal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code that would reintroduce criminal libel.