SECTOR 1

On the other hand, the right to protect one’s sources is not admissible on matters
that are deemed to be sub judice.

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: 			

3.4

1.8
Public information is easily
guaranteed by law, to all citizens.

accessible,

There is indeed a law on access to public sources of information, but ironically
access to these public sources is extremely difficult.
Paragraph 1, section 19 of the Press Law states that, “in exercising their functions,
journalists are guaranteed the right of access to sources of information”. It adds,
in paragraph 3, that “public entities have a duty to guarantee access to sources of
information with a view to safeguarding the right of citizens to be informed…”
However, this access is denied in cases where the requested information is
protected because of ongoing judicial proceedings, is related to documents
classed as state secrets, pertains to the military or may affect the intimate life of
citizens. Panel members were unanimous in that public information has not been
easily accessible, often because public servants excessively resort to the exceptions
provided for by the law, classifying almost all information of public interest as state
secrets. Access to public information is even more difficult in the more remote
parts of the country. Members of the panel stated that not all citizens have access
to the Government Gazette for instance. To illustrate this point, they gave the
example that there were people in areas such as Kuando Kubango Province, who
for a long time did not know that UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi had been killed
in combat in February 2002.
Almost consensually, the panel members concluded that access to public
information is extremely difficult in Angola, and that public institutions
themselves make it difficult to access information, leading to suspicions that there

AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ANGOLA 2010

85

Select target paragraph3