MAURITIUS the box”. Regardless of these restrictions – which sometimes may be a matter of perception rather than fact - citizens generally express themselves freely, for example through letters to newspapers or on private radio. SCORES: Individual scores: 2,3,4,3,3,4,3,3,3,3 Average score: 3.1 1.3 There are no laws restricting freedom of expression such as excessive official secret or libel acts, or laws that unreasonably interfere with the responsibilities of the media. ANALYSIS: Laws restricting freedom of expression do exist in Mauritius. The Public Service Commission’s Personnel Management Manual makes it clear to all public servants that their freedom of expression is severely limited: All matters are private and confidential. Journalists are continuously threatened by defamation legislation. The problem is that such cases are both time consuming and expensive. It often takes three to five years before they are decided by the respective courts in Mauritius and some journalists believe this is a deliberate strategy. The majority of cases are concluded by plaintiffs and defendants reaching a settlement, and damages paid vary from about 1500 US dollars to 6000 US dollars. To avoid litigation, the daily L’Express has set up an internal Complaints Commission where people feeling aggrieved by reports published may ask for remedy without going the court route. 6 African Media Barometer - Mauritius 2008