By Saio Marrah
Following the repeal of the part 5 of the 1965 Public order Act, which criminalized libel and defamation, Sierra Leone has become the 48th member of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) that stands to defend media freedom where it is under threat.
Formed at the global conference for media freedom in 2019, MFC comp is a partnership of countries that are working together to advocate for media freedom and safety of journalists as well as to hold to account those responsible for harming journalists for executing their duties.
Members of the coalition signed the global pledge on media freedom, which is a written commitment to improving media freedom domestically and working together internationally.
The Minister of Information and Communication of Sierra Leone, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, has pledged the government’s commitment to continue to strengthen, safeguard and protect journalists and press freedom in Sierra Leone.
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in a tweet welcoming Sierra Leone to the coalition said his government will work with the country in defending media freedom worldwide.
On the 29th and 30th January 2020, senior officials of all the coalition members met in Geneva and agreed on the terms and references that include mechanism for joining the coalition.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
