SLAJ Trains Journalists on Criminal Libel, Defamation and RTI laws
Makeni 17th December 2013: The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ today commenced the second set of its two day (18th and 19th December 2013) trainings on the criminal libel law and its applications for journalists in Makeni.
The training, which was made possible by a grant from the Freetown Embassy of the United States of America, is set to expose journalists to the criminal libel aspects of the 1965 Public Order Act and also the recently enacted Access To Information law.
At the opening session at the Radio Mankneh Hall in Makeni, Local Unit Commander Superintendent G.M. Turay addressed participants on the role of the police in law enforcement. He maintained that the Police were most times misunderstood as wanting to be repressive when infact they are merely enforcing the law as it is laid down.
Resident Magistrate Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens spoke on the Access To Information law and explained how it can be utilised by journalists. He warned journalists that the Criminal Libel law is still law in Sierra Leone and journalists must accept that it is still operational. He ended by admonishing journalists to respect the IMC Code of Practice.
Mass Communications Lecturer Francis Sowa gave an overview of the project, outlining the objectives.
SLAJ Vice President Stanley Bangura Jnr narrated the journey through which SLAJ has travelled so far in trying to have the criminal libel laws repealed or amended. VP Stanley Bangura said “the training is geared towards increasing the knowledge of journalists on the Do’s and Don’ts of the criminal libel and defamation laws with the objective of helping the SLAJ executive, to reduce the amount of time spent in the law courts, supporting journalists charged, pleading for bail or securing legal representation.”
The SLAJ VP disclosed that this is just the beginning of the present SLAJ Executive’s Strategic Plan of enhancing professionalism and specialization. The first set of training took place on the 12th and 13th December in Bo last week.
SLAJ Executive
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