These and other restrictive laws are increasingly – and successfully – being challenged in the courts. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1.4 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 1 1.1 (2005 = 1.3) Entry into and practice of the journalistic profession is legally unrestricted. ANALYSIS: There are no restrictions to entry into and practice of the journalistic profession. An attempt to introduce compulsory registration through a statutory Media Council by way of a Media Council Bill in 1997 was thrown out by the High Court of Zambia. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1.5 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 4.9 (2005 = 4.6) Protection of confidential sources of information is guaranteed by law. ANALYSIS: There is no law to protect confidential sources of information (or whistleblowers) although the draft Constitution of Zambia that still has to be enacted does make provision for that. The absence of such a law is undermining mutual confidence between journalists and their sources and thus freedom of expression as it inhibits sources from disclosing information for fear of being named. The Prohibition and Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2001 imposes an obligation on anyone who might be reasonably expected to know of someone being involved in money laundering to report that person to the authorities. This obligation extends to journalists who might acquire such knowledge in the pursuit of a story and, in effect, undermines the principle of source confidentiality. In reality, however, this legal requirement has not been invoked and put to the test yet. SCORES: Individual scores: Average score: 1.6 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 1.1 (2005 = 1.2) Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to all citizens, including journalists. ANALYSIS: Zambia has not yet enacted freedom of information legislation. The Freedom of Information Bill that was before the National Assembly was withdrawn for “further consultations” in NoSo This Is Democracy? 2007 -254- Media Institute of Southern Africa