T he year 2014 was one of change in Mozambique, as the national election saw the installation of a new president, Filipe Jacinto Nyusi. President Nyusi replaces Armando Emilio Guebuza, (both represent the Frelimo Party), whose two-year term had come to an end. In this environment of change, we have seen greater opportunities for free expression opening up on social media and other online networks and an increase in citizen journalism in Mozambique. Mozambique’s traditional media environment, too, has been growing, with new players entering the print, radio and television markets. This market growth is encouraging for the expansion of free expression in the country. Perhaps the most significant event for media freedom in Mozambique, and in the region, in 2014 was the passing of the Access to Information Bill, which came about in December. FREE EXPRESSION AND THE LAW Constitutional right to free expression limited by other restrictive laws Freedom of expression, including press freedom, is guaranteed in Mozambique’s revised 2004 Constitution, which explicitly protects journalists and grants them the right not to reveal their sources. Article 48(1) of the Constitution of the Republic states “all citizens have the right to freedom of expression, press freedom, and the right to information”. This is further supported by the Press Law of August, which states, “no citizen’s employment can be harmed due to the legitimate exercise of his right to express his thoughts freely through the press”. However, despite the constitutional right to free expression and media freedom, other legislation inhibits the media. For example, a clause in the law on crimes against state security treats libel against the president, prime minister, and other senior political and judicial figures as a security offense. The government has done little over the past few years to improve the media environment in Mozambique. This includes failing to encourage equitable distribution of government advertising across media outlets, considering government is the largest advertiser and the revenue it provides is fundamental to media sustainability in the country. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION Victory as parliament passes access to information Bill On Wednesday, 26 November 2014 freedom of information and human rights activists around the globe and region celebrated the Mozambican Parliament’s passing of an access to information (ATI) Bill. The Bill passed its first reading on 21 August and in November the Assembly of the Republic, during an extraordinary session, unanimously passed the second and final reading of the Bill. This makes Mozambique the fourth southern African country to adopt an access to information law, joining the other 14 countries on the continent that have specifically passed a law guaranteeing the right to access to information. So This is Democracy? 2014 45