Africa: Press Freedom Petition to Go to AU Leaders

Maputo — Press freedom organisations, spearheaded by the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), have drawn up a petition demanding the release of all jailed African journalists, and the repeal of all repressive media legislation in the member states of the African Union.

The petition, to be presented to the AU leadership on Wednesday, declares "Active participation of citizens in shaping policy and decision making of their countries is impossible if their own governments continue to deny them the rights necessary to ensure such participation. These include the rights to freedom of expression, assembly, association and political participation, as well as media freedom to facilitate a free exchange of information, ideas and opinion."

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