Declaration of Table Mountain
Abolishing "Insult Laws" and Criminal Defamation in Africa and Setting a Free Press Higher on the Agenda
TheWorldAssociationofNewspapersandNewsPublishersmeetingatthe60thWorldNewspaper
Congressand14thWorldEditorsForuminCapeTownSouthAfricafrom3–6June2007,
Notethatincountryaftercountry,theAfricanpressiscrippledbyapanoplyofrepressivemeasures,fromthejailingandpersecutionofjournaliststothewidespreadscourgeof'insultlaws'andcriminaldefamationwhichareused,ruthlessly,bygovernmentstopreventcriticalappraisaloftheirperformanceandtodeprivethepublicfrominformationabouttheirmisdemeanours,StatetheirconvictionthatAfricaurgentlyneedsastrong,freeandindependentpresstoactasawatchdogoverpublicinstitutions,Considerthatpressfreedomremainsakeytotheestablishmentofgoodgovernanceanddurableeconomic,political,socialandculturaldevelopment,prosperityandpeaceinAfrica,andtothefightagainstcorruption,famine,poverty,violentconflict,disease,andlackofeducation,Reaffirmourresponsibilityastheglobalrepresentativeorganisationsoftheowners,publishersandeditorsoftheworld'spresstoconduct"aggressiveandpersistentcampaigningagainstpressfreedomviolationsandrestrictions",Reaffirmourcommitmenttofreedomofthepressasabasichumanrightaswellasanindispensableconstituentofdemocracyineverycountry,includingthoseinAfrica,NotethatArticle19oftheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRightsguaranteesfreedomofexpressionasafundamentalright,andemphasisethatfreedomofexpressionisessentialtotherealisationofotherrightssetforthininternationalhumanrightsinstruments,Recallthatthoseprincipleshavebeenrestatedandendorsedinthe2002DeclarationonPrinciplesofFreedomofExpressioninAfrica,adoptedbytheAfricanCommissiononHumanandPeoples'RightsandtheAfricanUnion,thusrequiringmemberstatesoftheAfricanUniontoupholdandmaintainpressfreedom,Recallalsothe1991WindhoekDeclarationonPromotinganIndependentandPluralisticAfricanPress,Observethatdespitenumerousopportunitiesforafreepresstoemergefromnationalindependence,fully‐fledgedpressfreedomstilldoesnotexistinmanyAfricancountriesandthatmurder,imprisonment,torture,banning,censorshipandlegislativeedictarethenorminmanycountries,Recognisethatthesecrudeformsofrepressionarebolsteredbythedeliberateexclusionofcertainnewspapersfromstate‐advertisingplacement,theburdenofhighimporttaxesonequipmentandnewsprintandunfaircompetitionfromstateownedmedia,NotethatdespitetheadoptionofpressfreedomprotocolsandtherepressionofthatfreedomonawidescaleinAfrica,theAfricanUnionininstitutingitsAfricanPeerReviewMechanismundertheNEPAD(NewPartnershipforAfrica'sDevelopment)programmehasexcludedthefosteringofafreeandindependentpressasakeyrequirementintheassessmentofgoodgovernanceinthecountriesofthecontinent,and
Identifyasthegreatestscourgeofpressfreedomonthecontinentthecontinuedimplementationof"insultlaws,"whichoutlawcriticismofpoliticiansandthoseinauthority,andcriminaldefamationlegislation,bothofwhichareusedindiscriminatelyinthevastmajorityofAfricanstatesthatmaintainthemandwhichhaveastheirprimemotivethe``lockingupofinformation'',DeclarethatAfricanstatesmustrecognisetheindivisibilityofpressfreedomandtheirresponsibilitytorespecttheircommitmentstoAfricanandinternationalprotocolsupholdingthefreedom,independenceandsafetyofthepress,andTofurtherthataimby,asamatterofurgency,abolishing“insult”andcriminaldefamationlawswhichinthefirstfivemonthsof2007hascausedtheharassment,arrestand/orimprisonmentof229editors,reporters,broadcastersandonlinejournalistsin27Africancountries(asoutlinedintheannexuretothisdeclaration),CallonAfricangovernmentsasamatterofurgencytoreviewandabolishallotherlawsthatrestrictpressfreedom,CallonAfricangovernmentsthathavejailedjournalistsfortheirprofessionalactivitiestofreethemimmediatelyandtoallowthereturntotheircountriesofjournalistswhohavebeenforcedintoexile,CondemnallformsofrepressionofAfricanmediathatallowsforbanningofnewspapersandtheuseofotherdevicessuchaslevyingimportdutiesonnewsprintandprintingmaterialsandwithholdingadvertising,CallonAfricanstatestopromotethehigheststandardsofpressfreedominfurtheranceoftheprinciplesproclaimedinArticle19oftheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRightsandotherprotocolsandtoprovideconstitutionalguaranteesoffreedomofthepress,CallonAfricanmediaprofessionalstopromoteeditorialqualityandupholdethicaljournalism,CallontheAfricanUnionimmediatelytoincludeinthecriteriafor"goodgovernance"intheAfricanPeerReviewMechanismthevitalrequirementthatacountrypromotesfreeandindependentmedia,CalloninternationalinstitutionstopromoteprogressinpressfreedominAfricainthenextdecade,throughsuchstepsasassistingnewspapersintheareasoflegaldefence,skillsdevelopmentandaccesstocapitalandequipment,WelcomemovestowardsaglobalfundforAfricanmediadevelopmentandrecommendsthatsuchaninitiativegivespriorityattentiontomedialegalreformandinparticularthecampaigntoridthecontinentof"insult"andcriminaldefamationlaws,CommitWAN‐IFRAtoexpanditsexistingactivitiesinregardtopressfreedomanddevelopmentinAfricainthecomingdecade.WAN‐IFRAmakesthisdeclarationfromTableMountainatthesoutherntipofAfricaasanearnestappealtoallAfricanstorecognisethatthepoliticalandeconomicprogresstheyseekflourishesinaclimateoffreedomandwherethepressisfreeandindependentofgovernmental,politicaloreconomiccontrol.ThisDeclarationshallbepresentedto:TheSecretary‐GeneraloftheUnitedNationswiththerequestthatitbepresentedtotheUNGeneralAssembly;totheUNESCODirector‐GeneralwiththerequestthatitbeplacedbeforetheGeneralConferenceofUNESCO;andtotheChairpersonoftheAfricanUnionCommissionwiththerequestthatitbedistributedtoallmembersoftheAfricanUnionsothatitcanbeendorsedbytheAUatitsnextsummitmeetingofheadsofstate.
www.declarationoftablemountain.org
