State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 The 2003 winner of the MISA Press Freedom Award Judge Augusto Raul Paulino J udge Augusto Raul Paulino was born in southern Mozambique in 1961. In 1975, after his father’s imprisonment, his family moved to Maputo City where he embarked on his stud ies in Education. Three years later he was placed as a teacher in Chóckwe village in the province of Gaza, also in the south region of Mozambique. In his role as an educator and nurturer Paulino became more and more aware of the social injustices faced by the Mozambican people. His interest in legal studies developed from his quest for justice for all and respect for humanity in Mozambique, and on a continental scale. At the age of 31 he was appointed Judge and was stationed at the judicial tribunal in the city of Maputo. Nine years later, in 2000, he presided over one of the most controversial and historical cases in Mozambique, i.e. the murder of Carlos Cardoso, a well known and internationally acclaimed journalist. Judge Paulino was quoted as saying that Cardoso’s murder was among the worst in Mozambican history and set out to prove the credibility of the judicial system in that country. Judge Paulino made judicial history in Mozambique and internationally by allowing a full media coverage of the court proceedings of the Cardoso case. This was the first ever case in Mozambican history where the media was allowed to bring cameras and all forms of recording equipment into court proceedings, a freedom that surprised even the media itself. He won respect nationally and internationally for the fearless manner in which he conducted the trial. On Friday, January 31 2003, the world watched as he sentenced six men to over 20 years imprisonment respectively. In this sweeping judgement Judge Paulino invariably restored the confidence in the Mozambican judiciary. He has since become a public figure and force to reckon with in the struggle for peace, justice and media freedom in Mozambique. The 42-year-old Judge is married with three sons. He continues to teach Law at the University of ISPU in Mozambique. So This Is Democracy? 2003 153 Media Institute of Southern Africa