SECTOR 1 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: 4.3 (2012 = 4.6, 2009 = 4.9) 1.2 The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists, are asserting their rights without fear. The legal texts guaranteeing the exercise of freedom of expression do exist. But one panellist noted that it requires courage to exercise this right. In effect, ordinary citizens as well as journalists wishing to benefit from this right exercise it with some sense of fear. It is often highlighted that those who freely express themselves according to their convictions may receive phone calls from either the authorities or private citizens. Panellists provided the example of a member of civil society, who was questioned by the Department of Territorial Surveillance (DST) for publicly pronouncing himself on a matter regarding corruption by a minister. Another example relates to the matter of the alleged rape of students by armed forces during an intervention in May 2016 at the University of Abidjan. Civil society requested the opening of a case and launched a petition for the arrest of the perpetrators. Several civil society actors were, however, fearful of this action, and asked those petitioning to desist from doing so, as they feared this was targeting the President of the Republic and his policies, although this was not the case. Religious discussions that promise hosts of miracles on national television were prohibited from being broadcast between November and December 2015. One panellist underlined that restrictions were placed on the content of the talk shows. In the press, the newspaper l’Expression put up a notice in its windows in April 2016, with the headline: “Mr. President, that is NOT OK!”. The managing editor received threats for this action, and was subjected to pressure forcing him to take disciplinary action in his own team. To demonstrate the degree of fear that exists in Cote d’Ivoire, one panellist highlighted the practice of what he/she calls “invisible editing”. For example, the AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Côte d’Ivoire 2016 69