By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Sierra Leone media regulatory body, the Independent Media Commission (IMC) has in a press statement applauded the government of Sierra Leone for fulfilling its promise and repealing Part V of the Public Order Act of 1965 which criminalized libel and defamation.
The IMC also praised the enactment of the new IMC Act, which paved the way for the repeal of the criminal defamation law.
“We particularly note the unwavering determination of his Excellency, the President, Dr Julius Maada Bio, and the Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray and team towards the achievement, in fulfillment of the, manifesto promise of the SLPP- led government. We also appreciate and applaud the leadership and members of parliament for their unity of purpose and collective endorsement of the two laws,” the statement reads in part.
The Public Order Act of 1965 is a piece of legislations designed to maintain public peace and safety. Part V of it, which criminalized libel and defamation, was for over 50 years opposed by rights campaign groups as going against the country’s constitution which guarantees freedom of speech. Campaigners that the laws have stifled the free flow of information by censoring critical voices.
Those who campaigned against it argued that defamation matters should be civil and not criminal. They say it mostly favored public officials who have used it to jail many journalists when they defaulted as truth was no defense for defamation.
Successive governments have over the years campaigned on the promise to repeal the law.
The IMC further applauded both international development partners and local organizations for their efforts leading to the repeal of the law.
“We applaud the litigations, lobbying, advocacy, development efforts and supports of all international and local actors over the past five decades, including the UNDP, Irish AID, DFID, British High Commission, EU, US Embassy, Chinese Embassy, OSIWA, Panos Institute of West Africa, Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Bar Association, Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and its affiliates, Media Reform Coordinating Group, BBC Media Action, Search for Common Grounds/Talking Drums Studio, Society for Democratic Initiative, Campaign for Good Governance and Center for Accountability and Rule of law, among others,” the statement reads.
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