SECTOR 1 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: 3.1 (2008=2.6; 2011=2.7) 1.3 There are no laws or parts of laws restricting freedom of expression such as excessive official secret, libel acts, legal requirements that restrict the entry into the journalistic profession or laws that unreasonably interfere with the functions of media. Cameroon has not made visible progress with respect to transparency in the conduct of public business. There are confidentiality and secrecy clauses in numerous bits of legislation6 dating back to the early years of independence. Concepts such as ‘state secrets’, ‘sovereignty matters’, ‘administrative confidentiality’ and ‘sensitive subjects’ are often vaguely defined and indiscriminately used to silence office holders. Withholding public information is more perceptible in the military, but is equally significant in the public service. For example, even though the ministry of defence has a spokesperson, the press office releases very little information concerning military activities in northern Cameroon, where the military has been engaged in operations against the Nigerian terrorist group, Boko Haram. It is criminal to obtain or publish an official document that is labelled “confidential”, irrespective of the nature of its content. Several public places such as airports, government buildings and military installations are off limits for photographers. The government tries to limit the exercise of freedom of expression by seeking to control the practice of journalism. The accreditation of journalists and the issuing of press cards is conducted by a government-appointed commission. In 2012, the National Communication Forum - a gathering convened by the Minister of Communication - recommended the restriction of entry to the journalism profession to graduates from journalism schools and holders of at 6 Professional secrecy rules in the Civil Service Code prevent government employees from divulging information, while citizens can be persecuted to obtaining administrative documents not intended for them AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER CAMEROON 2014 83