Return-Path: <sentto-279987-4661-1021468726-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com> Delivered-To: fc@all.net Received: from 204.181.12.215 [204.181.12.215] by localhost with POP3 (fetchmail-5.7.4) for fc@localhost (single-drop); Wed, 15 May 2002 06:21:08 -0700 (PDT) Received: (qmail 7876 invoked by uid 510); 15 May 2002 13:18:54 -0000 Received: from n19.grp.scd.yahoo.com (66.218.66.74) by all.net with SMTP; 15 May 2002 13:18:54 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: sentto-279987-4661-1021468726-fc=all.net@returns.groups.yahoo.com Received: from [66.218.66.98] by n19.grp.scd.yahoo.com with NNFMP; 15 May 2002 13:18:46 -0000 X-Sender: fc@red.all.net X-Apparently-To: iwar@onelist.com Received: (EGP: mail-8_0_3_2); 15 May 2002 13:18:46 -0000 Received: (qmail 74559 invoked from network); 15 May 2002 13:18:46 -0000 Received: from unknown (66.218.66.217) by m15.grp.scd.yahoo.com with QMQP; 15 May 2002 13:18:46 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO red.all.net) (12.232.72.152) by mta2.grp.scd.yahoo.com with SMTP; 15 May 2002 13:18:45 -0000 Received: (from fc@localhost) by red.all.net (8.11.2/8.11.2) id g4FDK1S16180 for iwar@onelist.com; Wed, 15 May 2002 06:20:01 -0700 Message-Id: <200205151320.g4FDK1S16180@red.all.net> To: iwar@onelist.com (Information Warfare Mailing List) Organization: I'm not allowed to say X-Mailer: don't even ask X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.5 PL3] From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> X-Yahoo-Profile: fcallnet Mailing-List: list iwar@yahoogroups.com; contact iwar-owner@yahoogroups.com Delivered-To: mailing list iwar@yahoogroups.com Precedence: bulk List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:iwar-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com> Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 06:20:01 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [iwar] [fc:new.Kenyan.media.law] Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Rights watchdogs concerned at new Kenyan media law By David Mageria NAIROBI (Reuters) - Press freedom watchdogs slammed a new Kenyan media bill Friday, adding to the outcry from media owners and journalists who say the law aims to muzzle dissent ahead of elections due this year. The bill, passed by parliament late Wednesday, raises publishing fees in a move that media owners say might drive smaller publications out of business. "This measure could muzzle the press in a critical election year," Peter Takirambudde, the executive director of Human Rights Watch's Africa division, said in a statement. "Freedom of expression has never been more important in Kenya." Kenya is due to hold crucial general elections by the end of this year when President Daniel arap Moi is constitutionally bound to step down after ruling the east African country for more than two decades. A clear successor has yet to emerge. "Systematic attacks of the Kenyan government against its citizens' freedom of expression sketch a grim picture of the country, particularly in the light of the upcoming general elections," Aidan White, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, said in a statement. The new law, which the government says aims to restrain an irresponsible "gutter press," increases an insurance bond that publishers must pay for libel damages to one million shillings ($12,760) from 10,000 shillings. The law introduces a 20,000 shillings fine or six-month prison term for vendors who do not establish whether publishers of every publication they sell have paid the bond. PANDORA'S BOX Kenyan media owners, some of whom are still reeling from heavy libel awards in favor of senior politicians, warn that the provision will expose newspaper sellers to police harassment and say the bill will discourage investment in Kenya's media sector. "It opens up room to harass vendors," said Evans Kidero, managing director of Nation Media Group, which publishes The Daily Nation newspaper. "With the crude nature of our police department it is going to open a Pandora's Box of corruption." The government says the law aims to promote responsibility in the media, particularly among publications that specialize in lurid tales of the sex lives of prominent Kenyans. "You have papers publishing about people's bedroom manners, calling everybody names, destroying reputations and you cannot take them to court because they don't have a forwarding address," the government's Director of Information George Opiyo told Reuters. "We want to bring them to operate within the law." The Eastern Africa Journalists Association (EAJA) added their voices to criticism of the bill, which still requires presidential assent before it comes into force. "The change, if passed into law, will deal a devastating blow to the growth of media and freedom of the press in general," said Martin Ocholi, EAJA coordinator. "EAJA sees this move as a deliberate and mischievous attempt by the ruling party and government to deny millions of Kenyans their rights to free speech," he said in a statement. The media industry says the government is overreacting and should have let the industry regulate itself. Media companies and the Kenya Union of Journalists say they have drafted a code of ethics and plan to set up a self-regulating body to be headed by professionals from outside the media. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Tied to your PC? Cut Loose and Stay connected with Yahoo! Mobile http://us.click.yahoo.com/QBCcSD/o1CEAA/sXBHAA/kgFolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ------------------ http://all.net/ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.2 : 2003-08-24 02:46:32 PDT