Skip to main content

Lawmaker promises passage of press freedom bill

Sinoe County Representative and Chairman on Information and Broadcasting J. Nagbe Sloh has promised members of the media of the passage of the Kamara Abdullah Kamara Act of Press Freedom.

The late Kamara Abdullah Kamara (KAK) was a president of the Press Union of Liberia, but failed in his re-election bid before he died this year. Rep. Sloh promised the passage of the bill named in honor of Mr. Kamara on Monday, 2 July during hearing on a bill seeking to amend Chapter 11 of the Penal Law of 1978, repealing Sections 11.11
on criminal libel against the President; 11.12 on Sedition and 11.14 on criminal malevolent.The instrument is under scrutiny by the Joint House Committee on Information, Broadcast, Culture and Tourism and Judiciary.Rep. Sloh says he is going to lobby with his colleagues at the House of Representatives to make sure they pass the bill because it is very important.
According to him, when it gets to the Senate, he will do the same.Also speaking, the president of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) Mr. Charles Coffey said the repeal of this law will show total press freedom here.
He says the timely passage of this law will serve as a conduit for peace, stability and total unity in the country. According Mr. Coffey, libel is not only used against the media but also against every citizen.
Deputy Information Minister Daniel Gayedyu says the President of the Republic of Liberia Mr. George Manneh Weah has embarked on resolving a lot of issues, one of them being the free speech issue.
He says the uniqueness of re-submitting the instrument is that he’s doing it at the beginning of his administration. He calls on the House of Representatives to passed the bill.
For his part, WAJA president and former PUL president Mr. Peter Quaqua says the repeal of criminal defamation does not merely benefit the press, but also political, social and student activists.
He says it would sustain and strengthen the democratic beliefs, and give effect to the constitutional guarantees of free expression.Mr. Quaqua says Liberia has had two successive democratic elections since the end of the conflict, but progress will amount to nothing if the political process is governed by repressive laws.
By Bridgett Milton--Edited by Winston W. Parley

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

President George Weah's One Day National Forum Successfully Attended by 26 Political Parties

On Thursday, August 8, 2018, President George Weah had a sit down with 26 political parties of Liberia.  The meeting aimed at advancing ideals that promote the spirit of national unity and political tolerance between opposition political parties and the government.  ANC, LP and UP attended the meeting as a team. According to Deputy Minister Eugene L. Fahngon, Deputy Minister for Press and Public Affairs at Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs & Tourism, all 26 political parties attended and participated from start to finish.  Even though, social media was buzzing about AB Dillion walking out of the meeting, he walked out as an individual and not a political party, "the invitation was extended to political parties and not to individuals," Minister Fahngon stated in his live video.  Each political party gave ideals and recommendations, which made the meeting a great success.  According to  Deputy Minister Fahngon, "there will be future engagement...

What President Trump and Kim Jong Un Ate

The historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continued midday Tuesday, as the leaders satisfied their appetites while holding negotiations with a contingent of advisers over a working lunch. The lunch, which followed a 45-minute one-on-one meeting between the leaders earlier in the morning and bilateral discussion with senior aides, was held at the Capella Hotel on Singapore’s Sentosa Island. It was far from an intimate affair, with each leader accompanied by a bevy of senior staff, according to the White House. Joining Trump were Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chief of Staff John Kelly, National Security Advisor John Bolton, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Deputy Assistant to the President for Asian Affairs Matthew Pottinger. Kim was accompanied by Kim Yong Chol , the former spy chief and one of North Korea’s chief negotiators, as well as Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho, former...

PRESIDENT ELLEN JOHNSON SIRLEAF ANNUAL MESSAGE 2014

                                                                             ANNUAL MESSAGE to the Third Session of the 53rd National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia Theme: “Consolidating the Processes of Transformation” By Her Excellency Mrs. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf President of the Republic of Liberia Capitol Hill, Monrovia Monday, 27 January 2014 (As Prepared)   Mr. Vice President and President of the Senate, and Mrs. Boakai;   Mr. Speaker;   Mr. President Pro-Tempore;   Honorable Members of the Legislature;   Mr. Chief Justice, As...