SECTOR 1 1.6 Confidential sources of information are protected by law and/or the courts The Information and Communication Code and the Media Ethics Code of Benin recognise the need to protect journalists’ confidential sources. According to Article 35 of the Information and Communication Code, ‘a journalist is bound by professional secrecy. He can neither disclose the sources and origins of information received confidentially nor can he be compelled to do so’. The reality on the ground differs. Prosecutors, police investigators and the HAAC often pressurise journalists to disclose their sources. Legal loopholes, such as the need to preserve national security and other administrative mechanisms, are abusively applied to force journalists to reveal confidential sources. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓ 2.6 (2007 = 1.0; 2009 = 1.3; 2011 = 1.0; 2014 = 1.5) 1.7 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to all citizens Articles 70 to 107 of the Information and Communication Code are dedicated to access to information. According to Articles 70 to 73: Every citizen has the right to access documents or information held by a public entity or by its agents in the performance of their duties. This right is exercised on said documents or information, whether these are retained by the public entity or by a third party. [Article 70] Any public agent or entity that denies the right of access to public sources of information must justify the decision. Any hindrance to the rights of access to information is punishable by administrative and/or judicial sanctions. [Article 71] The right to access public sources of information is exercised regardless of the form of the documents: written, graphic, sound, visual, digital or otherwise. [Article 72] 14 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER BENIN 2018