ANALYSIS: There is fear. The result of this is that invariably, journalists have to resort to unnamed sources. Often a lot, citizens have shown to have more faith in the media. Because of fear, journalists in the public sector often do not dare to publish sensitive information that they might have in their possession. This is so, despite the fact that government does not have a deliberate policy of intimidating the media. Fear is cultural. Even in the public sector fear is not contractual or institutional. Journalists feel more comfortable to criticize institutions (including government institutions) than to write about individuals. This is because institutions are generally faceless, and as such journalists do not fear reprisals for criticizing them, as they would if they were to do so towards individuals. Civil society organizations are increasingly more active and generally free. SCORES: Individual scores: 3, 2, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 4 Average score: 4.0 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 laws that protect matters that are before the courts, as well as official state secrets. There are also journalists who have been convicted for defamation. Section 50 of the Media Law deals specifically with crimes committed by the media. Libel is dealt with in Section 51, while Section 52 deals with issues related to personal injury. According to the law, all these crimes carry a prison sentence. Defamation is also dealt with in the Penal Code. However, experience shows that defamation cases brought to the courts have rarely been conclusive, even though under the Media Law (Section 75) media lawsuits brought before the courts have precedence over any other cases. Also because Cape Verde is relatively a small country, there are not too many secrets, and the laws that protect matters still pending in the courts as well as official state secrets do not unreasonably interfere with the activities of media professionals. SCORES: Individual scores: 5, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 5 Average score: 4.0 26