Media Ombudsman John Nakuta has urged the government to do away with certain laws which are deemed to be oppressive to journalists.

Speaking during a panel discussion at the Goethe Centre held in observance of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on Tuesday, Nakuta said the government must do away with the Criminal Defamation Act and Protection of Information Act as they are destroying journalists’ rights.

“In Namibia we have laws like the Criminal Defamation Act, even though it has not been used in years, and the Protection of Information Act of 1989 which can be used against journalists. The United Nations and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights have called on governments all over the world to repeal this act,” Nakuta said.

He said politicians can use the act to try and silence journalists.

Nakuta said his office has received many requests this year from people who want to sue journalists, but they turned down such requests as this would amount to silencing journalists.

“We tell them to go to a civil court because the media ombudsman does not have the jurisdiction to impose a fine or seek compensation. We have seen a trend of wealthy businesses and multinationals making threats against journalists who have written about them,” he explained.

Nakuta said many countries have come out with ‘nonsensical’ accusations against media houses and journalists in order to make them go through costly lawsuits that will actually silence them because they cannot afford to pay legal fees.

He made an example of Minister of Labour Utoni Nujoma, who is suing a local media house and one of its journalists for defamation of character.

Media activist, Zoe Titus, said Namibian citizens are not aware of the potential impact of being aware of the role of media in fighting social ills.

“An attack on a journalist is an attack on democracy itself. We are not doing enough to have repulsive laws repealed. I have always asked if Namibians would go to the street and protest if a journalist is attacked?” she asked.

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on 02 November 2013 as an international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency