SECTOR 1 Other texts and laws reflect these freedoms as essential pillars to build a democratic and free country. Although some texts are only regulatory in nature, i.e., that they have no legal force, they do suggest that there is a political will to ensure, through the Constitution and other legislation, the freedom of expression in general and the media in particular in Gabon. 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: 3.3 1.2 The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists, are asserting their rights without fear. Even if, through laws, the Gabonese authorities give the impression that there is a healthy environment for the exercise of freedom of expression, in practice, it is not always the case. Citizens often find themselves in difficult situations for criticizing the authorities. Even elected officials often pay a heavy price for their opinions. For example, a Member of Parliament has been excluded from the majority party and the National Assembly for having criticized and voted against a bill amending the Constitution. Several examples demonstrate the absence of a plurality of opinions in the Gabonese public domain. Public media do not always have the freedom to broadcast the press-releases of opposition political parties and certain independent organisations, even when these are advertisements or paid releases. In 2014, a journalist was suspended from the public television channel because she was critical of the absence of women deputies in the National Assembly. In general, all information broadcasted is subject to approval by the upper hierarchy of public media so “as not to offend sensibilities”. In this context, the average citizen is usually afraid to express himself. Most citizens are convinced that their telephone conversations are tapped. Journalists AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER GABON 2016 67