The Mozambican chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) May 3 “condemned the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, for its failure to schedule for debate the draft Right to Information Bill which was submitted to parliament six years ago.”
In a press release issued on World Press Freedom Day, MISA-Mozambique said there are no visible signs of debate in the Mozambican parliament of a proposed Right to Information Bill. A draft was submitted to parliament on Nov. 30, 2005, by a group of civil society organizations led by MISA-Mozambique.
The regional press freedom press group emphasized that the Mozambican government ratified both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, obligating to support the freedom to “seek” and “receive’ information.”
“Against all the expectations raised during the previous meetings held last year between the parliamentary groups of Frelimo, Renamo and MDM and the civil society organisations, that were also attended by the Chairperson of the Committee of Public Administration, Local Government and Media, Alfredo Gamito, they failed to schedule for debate the Right to Information Bill for the current ordinary session of parliament,” according to the press release.
“Freedom of the Press and Expression and the Right to Information are stated in Article 48 of Mozambique’s Constitution as an insurmountable right,” adds the statement.
Filed under: What's New