SECTOR 1 by law and/or the courts Tanzania has no specific legal protection for journalistic sources. Related laws such as the Whistle Blower and Witness Act do not apply directly to the protection of confidential news sources. Nonetheless, panellists said the public generally understand that journalists are not required to reveal their confidential sources as a standard journalism practice. Therefore, with these generally accepted principles, journalists and news organisations often choose to protect their sources. However, the lack of legal protection frequently exposes journalists to harassment. Panellists said it was habitual that journalists are tortured and pressured in other ways to reveal their sources. For example, the administrators of Jamii Forums, an online platform that allows citizens to ‘dare talk freely’, has frequently been under pressure to reveal the identities of anonymous members. According to panellists and media reports, in 2016 police arrested the site’s administrators Maxence Melo Mubyazi and Micke Williams and charged them with obstructing justice for refusing to release information about members.14 The duo was charged under the Cybercrimes Act and if convicted, face fines of up to 3 million TZS (US$1,300), a jail term of at least one year, or both. ‘Jamii Forums two co-founders have been back and forth in court as authorities push to gain information about members.’ 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: Score of previous years: ✓✓ ✓ ✓✓✓✓ ✓✓ ✓✓✓ 2.3 2006: 1.6; 2008: 2.3; 2010: 1.8; 2012: 1.3; 2015: 1.2 1.7 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed by law, to the public After years of media and human rights advocacy, Tanzania finally passed an Access to Information Act in 2016. Section 5 (1-3) of the Act states that: Every person shall have the right of access to information which is under the control of information holders. The information holder shall, subject to the provisions of section 6 and any other written laws, make available to the public or, on request, to any person, information which is under 14 See for example the BBC story of the 16th December 2016. Available online at https://www.bbc.com/news/worldafrica-38341151. Last accessed on 22 May 2019. 19 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER TANZANIA 2019