The press law of 2015 needs its effective implementation for the added value of media houses and journalists. Ramadhan Karenga, the chairman of National Media Regulator (CNC) says the 2015 press law offers many advantages that benefited media houses and journalists. It was on the occasion of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of National Media Regulator and 10 years of the existence of an organic law that regulates CNC.
Ramadhan Karenga: “The government should honor its obligations by setting up a fund to improve working conditions of media houses and journalists”
“ Press organs must benefit from the exemptions as it is stipulated in the 2015 press law but needs the application texts to specify what type of material or equipment should be exempted or not. He also says media houses or journalists must benefit from a guarantee fund from the state. “The government should honor its obligations by setting up this fund, but also media might contact different partners so that they can help to increase it”, he says.
The same view is shared by Fabien Segatwa , a lawyer. He says the 2015 press law offers a lot of advantages because all the provisions against freedom of the press have been removed. “All the provisions that frightened journalists have been omitted”, he says.
The lawyer says, in the 2015 press law, only one important article about the protection of sources of information contrary to the previous 2013 press law has been added. “The disclosure of sources of information was an obligation whereas it is a secret even before judges. We cannot divulge sources of information. It’s very important, we have to protect sources of information”, he says.
For him, media houses and journalists must conduct sensitizing campaigns to explain the 2015 press law because there are some press offenses that remain offenses such as crimes, insults and defamation.
Lawyer Segatwa says there is a need to set up a tribunal for journalists that might be judged by their peers instead of appealing in front of civil judges. “The fear of prison should prevent journalists from working freely”, he says.
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