reform, WPFC will help mobilize the international free-press community to make missions to lawmakers needing encouragement, those resistant to change and those sitting on the edge. Armed with opinions of international bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Commission and the Organization of American States, the group will show that now is the time to make the changes needed to function as full partners in today's international community.

Abolish "insult laws" in Africa

African Union's NEPAD African Peer Review Mechanism: Campaign against 'insult laws' in Africa online

A campaign to rid African countries of "insult laws" - laws ostensibly intended to protect the dignity and reputation of people in high office, but which are actually used to protect presidents, parliamentarians and in varying degrees other state officials from scrutiny of their conduct in office - is to be launched in Lusaka, Zambia, on Monday during a workshop which coincides with World Press Freedom Day on May 3.

"Insult laws" are continually invoked against the media in Africa when personal references to heads of state or officials are deemed insulting or when journalists allege official or other misconduct such as corruption and maladministration. Cases of editors and journalists being charged or imprisoned for such reports abound. These laws apply in varying degrees of severity in 48 of the 53 countries in Africa.

The Lusaka meeting is the first of a series of sub-regional advocacy workshops on these laws in sub-Saharan Africa to create awareness of the legislation, broaden knowledge about their application and effects and devise an action plan to campaign for their removal from the statute books.

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