Uwazi

Malawi
1.3

There are no laws restricting freedom of expression such as
excessive official secrets or libel acts, or laws that
unreasonably interfere with the responsibilities of
the media.

ANALYSIS:
There are quite a number of laws restricting freedom of expression
such as:
Censorship and Control of Entertainment Act, 1968 (Act 11 of
1968)
Section 3 of this act establishes a Board of Censors. Section 24 empowers this Board to declare the content of a publication to be
“undesirable”. Section 23 (1) makes it an offence for any person to
publish or distribute content that has been declared by the Board
to be undesirable under section 24. Section 23 (2) empowers the
Board to declare content to be undesirable if the Board adjudges it
to be: indecent, obscene, offensive or harmful to public morals; or
if it is likely to give offence to the religious convictions or feelings
of any section of the public; or bring any member or section of the
public into contempt; or harm relations between any sections of
the public; or be contrary to the interest of public safety or public
order.
Official Secrets Act, 1913 (sic!)
Section 3(1) c makes it an offence for any person to disclose any official state secret to a third party for any purpose prejudicial to the
safety or interests of the state, where the disclosure is intended to
be directly or indirectly useful to an “enemy”.
Section 4 makes it a misdemeanour for any person who is in possession or control of official secret state information to communicate
such information to any person who is not authorised to receive it.
6

African Media Barometer - Malawi 2006