South Africa: MISA-SA Statement: Calls for withdrawal or reframing of Protection of Information Bill

The South African Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa is deeply concerned about the restrictions on the practice of journalism that are likely to arise should the draft Protection of Information Bill be enacted by parliament. The Bill is currently being examined by a special Ad Hoc Committee set up by parliament.

Misa-SA has noted the large number of submissions opposing the passage of the Bill but is alarmed that these appear to have had little effect on the majority of members of the committee and on the Chief State Law Adviser Enver Daniels, who has dismissed what has been described as ``an avalanche of criticism'' of the Bill as largely ``emotional and hysterical''.

 
The opposing submissions have come from a number of respected institutions such as the publishers' organisation in South Africa representing some 700 publications, Print Media South Africa, Idasa (Institute for a Democratic South Africa, FXI (Freedom of Expression Institute, and Sanef (SA National Editors' Forum) none of which are prone to hysteria or excessive emotion. Some of their representations have come from lawyers versed in media law and with wide experience of the effects of law on information gathering and publication in the public interest.
 
Misa-SA itself is deeply concerned about a number of provisions in the Bill which provides for heavy penalties that could ensnare journalists and subject them to jail terms. The ambit of the Bill is extremely wide -- it emphasises official secrecy in the national interest rather than the narrower concept of national security -- and provides for the government maintaining secrecy over an enormous range of subjects, most of which the public should be entitled to know about.
 
Misa-SA calls for the withdrawal or reframing of the Bill with proper consultation to be made with stakeholders such as the media in order to ensure transparency. However, Misa-SA concedes the need for official secrecy about selected matters of national security, but believes that the Bill should be reframed in a way that does not encroach on the rights of the media and Freedom of Expression.

- July 30, 2010 by MISA South Africa

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Source: www.misa.org  (received via email alert on 12.08.2010)