On 24 and 25 June 2013, the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, Commissioner Pansy Tlakula, in collaboration with the Centre for Human Rights, Article 19 Eastern Africa and the Burundi Union of Journalists, organised a stakeholders meeting on the ‘Decriminalisation of Laws Limiting Freedom of Expression and the Safety of Journalists in Eastern Africa’, in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The meeting brought together governmental officials, national human rights institutions, national journalist associations, as well as civil society organisations, to discuss issues related to the decriminalisation of freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in Eastern Africa.

A key outcome of this meeting was the attainment of an understanding of the negative impact of the criminal laws which limit freedom of expression as means of building consensus on the need for their decriminalisation in the States represented. At the same time, the importance of ethical journalism and effective self-regulatory mechanisms in convincing States to decriminalize was highlighted. At the end of discussions, participants developed country plans of action aimed at further dialogue with government for decriminalisation of these laws. Agreement was also reached on concrete steps that needed to be taken towards the improvement of the safety of journalists in Eastern Africa.

A similar meeting on the Decriminalisation of Laws Limiting Freedom of Expression and the Safety of Journalists for Southern Africa, will be taking place in August 2013.

The financial supportof Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for this meeting is gratefully acknowledged.