SECTOR 1 Section 7 of the Printing and Publishing Act of 1967 makes it an offence for publish print media without a certificate – of which the certificate number has to be exhibited on the front page of that print medium. 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: 2.5 (2012 = 3.5; 2010 = 3.4; 2008 = n/a; 2006 = n/a) 1.6 Confidential sources of information are protected by law and/or the courts. The Communications Act of 2012 makes provision for the protection of sources of information. Additionally, Rule 12(3) of the Broadcasting Rules of 2004, made pursuant to the Act, provides for confidentiality of sources to be protected. The rule states that: “Subject to the laws of Lesotho, the Journalists’ Convention in relation to the protection of sources who require confidentiality shall be respected.” There have been cases in which the police have attempted to force journalists to disclose their sources. However, journalists have refused to concede. After publishing a story in the Lesotho Times in which a source was described as “a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity”, the journalist was arrested, interrogated, and told to reveal who his source was. “He refused, and they eventually released him, but told him that ‘it’s not over’. And they continue to intimidate him.” There is some inconsistency between the Broadcasting Rules and the Internal Security Act, which, in Section 9, makes it an offence to not disclose information to the police that would be needed to follow up on a case. Furthermore, the Official Secrets Act is often used in court to force journalists to reveal their sources. AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER LESOTHO 2015 19