Sierra Leonean Media - Control

Control

The government in Sierra Leone enacts strong control over the media in the country. They control one of the only free terrestrial television networks and use legislation to control media content. Society and members of the political elite also impose a strong control on what is produced with some subjects seen as taboo and violence used by the political establishment against journalists. For example, Harry Yansaneh, the acting editor of For di People, died in 2005 of kidney failure from the injuries caused by an attack by people allegedly sent by a deputy in the ruling party. International organisations also control significant parts of the media in Sierra Leone. For example the only continuously broadcasting radio station in the country is run by the UN and the BBC runs one of the most popular radio stations. However, most of the radio stations in the country are independent commercially owned stations and which is also the case for the newspaper industry. In 2007 Sierra Leone was ranked 121 out of 169 countries on the scale of press freedom.

The Sierra Leone constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and freedom of the press; however, the government at times restricts these rights in practice. Under legislation enacted in 1980, all newspapers must register with the Ministry of Information and pay sizeable registration fees and the Criminal Libel Law including Seditious Libel Law of 1965 is used to control what is published in the media. This has led to journalists being imprisoned, for example, Paul Kamara, editor of For di People, was imprisoned for 14 months during 2004 and 2005 for seditious libel. The Sierra Leone Independent Media Commission was created in 2000 as an independent body to regulate the mass media.

In 2006 President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah committed to reforming the laws governing the press and media to create a freer system for journalist to work in.