Specifically, freedom of expression is guaranteed and promoted by the Press Law No.
18/91, of August 10, defining the various fundamental aspects for the operation
of the activity of journalism, from the principles which guide the profession, the
register of institutions, their responsibilities, their means of operation up to the
protection of their freedom to create and freedom of expression. With regard to
the Right to Information, 2014 was a year of “blessings” for Mozambique, since
the law which regulates the Right to Information was approved and promulgated,
several years after its submission and advocacy by Civil Society Organizations
(CSO’s).
The media market in Mozambique, both at the level of printed newspapers, and
radio and television has been growing in the country, and the opening of more
newspapers has been observed, as well as the start-up of business of more freeto-air television channels, aimed at services providing information and education
for citizens. This growth in the market shows the expansion of areas for the
exercising of freedom of the press. The level of exercising freedom of expression,
in particular the expansion of areas for participation through Platforms like
Development Observatories, Social Networks on the internet, like Facebook, and
the direct participation of citizens in mass media.
These factors mentioned above may be seen as basic reasons for the slight
improvement of the Ovrerall Average of the Media Barometer in Mozambique,
as in 2011 the overall assessment was 2.8 and, in 2014, it was 3.1, a difference
of 0.3 points. In qualitative terms, many matters raised and referred to in the
previous barometer are still valid, particularly with regard to matters concerning
legal affairs, public media policy, professionalism and the independence of public
broadcasting means.
With regard to the weak points of the media environment in Mozambique, it can
be said that, even with the expansion in these areas, there are some clear signs
of exacerbation of fear and the withdrawal of freedom of expression, particularly
between 2012 and 2014, indicated above all by a tendency to limit voices which
disagree with the government, which has seen the sophistication of public
relations strategies and propaganda for the creation of public opinion which is
favourable to the government.
The continuation of laws or parts of laws restricting freedom of the press is another
negative point which creates the environment of the media in Mozambique. By
way of illustration, there are Law No. 12/79, of December 12 (Law of State
Secrets), Law number 19/91, of August 18 (Law of Crimes against State Security),
Law number 16/2012, of August 14 (Law on Public Probity) and the Press Law
itself (Law number 18/91, of August 10). This is a set of laws which have not yet
received any attention from the government with regard to their removal, which
shows that the government has done little over the last few years to improve
the media environment, in Mozambique, considering also the lack of incentives

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