A House with Two Rooms - The Advocates for Human Rights

• Continuous training in the provisions of the Juvenile Court Procedural Code and child
protection issues should be provided to all Liberian National Police officers and Bureau of
Corrections staff.
Freedom of Expression
Journalists, publishers, and those associated with media outlets in general were specifically targeted
during the TRC’s mandate period. Government policies severely undermined freedom of press and
freedom of expression. In addition, those attempting to exercise their rights were killed, detained,
abducted, tortured, and otherwise harassed. Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights requires the Government of Liberia to take all necessary measures to ensure the
right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information
and ideas of all kinds through any media of choice. In addition to this core human rights treaty, the
U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation Declaration of Windhoek on Promoting an
Independent and Pluralistic African Press, the Johannesburg Principles on National Security, Freedom
of Expression, and Access to Information, and other relevant civil society and non-governmental
organization reports cited herein provide a guiding framework for protection of freedom of expression
in Liberia. The Advocates recommends the following:
Freedom of Expression: Legal & Regulatory Reform
• The Government of Liberia should undertake a systematic review of laws pertaining to the
media and freedom of expression with the goal of reforming existing laws or adopting new
legislation so as to comply with the Johannesburg Principles on National Security, Freedom
of Expression, and Access to Information. 242
• Government influence over the media should be limited. 243 Accordingly, the Government of
Liberia should ensure that public officials and political appointees do not hold positions of
influence in the Liberian media.
• Regulatory mechanisms should be developed to
ensure quality, sustainable reporting. 244
• The Government of Liberia should support
legislation that ensures that libel actions against
journalists proceed only in civil court and
cannot become criminal actions. 245
• The Government of Liberia should adopt an act
designed to extend the right of members of the
public to access information in the possession
of public authorities or private bodies and to guarantee the protection of individuals in
possession of and providing information to members of the public. 246
442
Potential Implementation Strategy:
Disciplinary Regulations
Disciplinary regulations might require
a journalist to issue an apology or allow
the Press Union of Liberia to license and
to suspend journalists for abuse of press
freedoms.