Cameroon AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2008 Sector 1: 1.1 Freedom of expression, including freedom of the media, are effectively protected and promoted. Freedom of expression, including freedom of the Media, is guaranteed in the constitution and protected by other pieces of legislation. ANALYSIS: “In the preamble of the constitution of the Republic of Cameroon it is stated; “the freedom of communication, of expression, of the press... shall be guaranteed under the conditions fixed by law”. Such freedom is supported by the 1990 law on social communication. Article 1 of the general provisions of Cameroon’s 1990 freedom of social communication law guarantees freedom of the press. Article 2(1) of the 1990 law stipulates that freedom of communication applies to all forms of communication. As of now, there are no pieces of legislation which contradict the provisions of the constitution or the 1990 law on social communication. In fact there are no criminal libel or defamation laws in Cameroon. The freedom of social communication law outlines civil remedies for cases of defamation by the press, stating in Section 1, Article 52 that “the publisher of a press organ is obliged to publish, in the next issue of his journal, every rectification addressed to him by a depository of public authority in relation to his duties which were wrongly reported. Article 53 of the same law outlines the obligations of newspapers to provide a right of reply. Article 57 outlines broadcaster obligations to provide a right of reply. Thus the constitution of the Republic of Cameroon and the 1990 law on social communication guarantee and protect the freedom of expression, including freedom of the media. However, the problem arises at the level of implementation. For instance, the text of application of the private audiovisual media was only adopted in 2000, which is ten years after the law was promulgated. Article 15 institutes the following financial obligations for somebody who wishes to create a private radio or television station: African Media Barometer - Cameroon 2008 3