Bill To Promote Media Self-Regulation

A Bill to allow the establishment of self-regulatory mechanisms for the media; and to suspend the provisions of the Press and Publications Act, 2004, in Southern Sudan.

RECOGNISING THAT —

• The right to freedom of expression, including media freedom, is a fundamental human right and crucial to the development of democracy, and is protected under Article 28 of the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan;
• The right to freedom of expression is also recognised under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Sudan is a State party, and under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Sudan is also a State Party;
• The Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights states that effective self-regulation is the best system for promoting high standards in the media.

NOTING THAT —

• The development of a free, independent and pluralistic media is crucial to establishing democracy in Southern Sudan;
• laws that repress the media are a disservice to society;

ENCOURAGING —

• the development of a truly self-regulatory framework for media regulation in Southern Sudan; and

AND IN ORDER TO —

• align the Southern Sudanese legal system with the democratic values of the constitution and to enhance and protect the fundamental rights of citizens,

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly,

as follows:—

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

Section

1.  Purpose

2.  Suspension

3.  Short Title

Purpose

1.The purposes of this Act are: –

• to encourage the establishment of self-regulatory mechanisms for the media;
• to suspend the provisions of the Press and Publications Act, 2004, in the territory of Southern Sudan.  

Suspension

2.The provisions of the Press and Publications Act, 2004, are hereby suspended in the territory of Southern Sudan.  

Short Title

3.This Act may be cited as the Media Self-Regulation Act 2006.