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World’s Press Calls for Renewed Solidarity in the Wake of Threats to Independent, Free Media in South Africa

Wednesday 7 June, 2017

The Board of the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), meeting in Durban, South Africa on 7th June 2017 ahead of the
69th World News Media Congress,
has called on the South African government to ensure an environment
that better protects media freedom and the independence of journalists,
notably in the face of proposed legislation that threatens a free press.

The
Board drew attention to the Cybercrime Bill as an “assault on the right
to digital privacy” and a threat to the protection of journalists’
sources, while it also supported on-going efforts to challenge the 2002
Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of
Communication-related Information Act.

The
Board of WAN-IFRA denounced the draft Prevention and Combating of Hate
Crimes and Hate Speech Bill, which would criminalize "bringing contempt
and ridicule" onto figures of authority, as well as the Film &
Publication Board Amendment Bill, which broadens state power to censor
content.

The
Board also noted that the controversial Secrecy Bill could still be
signed into law after Parliament recommended President Jacob Zuma give
it his final approval, despite vigorous opposition from media and civil
society groups.

WAN-IFRA
has
expressed its deep concern that the government is considering a range of
measures “that will intimidate the press, promote self-censorship and
silence criticism.” In order to address the shrinking space for
independent journalism, WAN-IFRA has urged the South African authorities
to adopt a more open, inclusive approach to dialogue and to work with
media, legal and civil society organisations to craft legislation that
seeks to enable, rather than restrict, a more positive environment for
freedom of expression.

The full text of the resolution can be viewed here:
http://www.wan-ifra.org/node/173941/

During
its meeting in Durban, the WAN-IFRA Board also passed six other press
freedom resolutions, calling on global solidarity for media facing
extreme challenges in Botswana, Cameroon, Tanzania, Zambia, Mexico and
Turkey.

The resolutions can be read at:

Contact - Inquiries

Andrew Heslop, Director, Press Freedom, andrew.heslop@wan-ifra.org



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