SECTOR 1

1.6 Confidential sources of information are protected
by law and/or the courts.
The Ivorian law protects confidential sources of information. The law of 2004
governing the media stipulates in Article 28, “that outside of cases where the law
obligates the professional journalist, he/she is not held to reveal his/her sources
of information”. That said, there have been cases where the State Prosecutor has
instructed a journalist in court to reveal his/her sources. However, importantly,
more often than not it is refused.
The code of conduct passed on 23 February 2012 makes reference to Article
2 regarding the protection of sources: “For the protection of its sources, the
journalist must at all times control the quality and accuracy of information
received. The source can expect that his/her goodwill cannot be manipulated, that
attention will be paid to the reputation, honour, and dignity of the journalist.”
The same code authorises the journalist to reveal his sources if it is recognized that
there was an intent to defraud. Article 3 accords the journalist: “the possibility
to denounce a malicious source and to inform the public of any manipulation of
which he could have been victim to.”

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:

3.7 (2012 = 3.9, 2009 = 3.4)

1.7 Public information is easily accessible, guaranteed
by law, to all citizens.
The law related to Access to Public Interest Information, number 2013-867 of
23 December 2013, determines the rules of access to information of public
interest and to public documents. The implementation of this law started with the
signing of the decree 2014-462 of 6 August 2014, which bears the attributions,
organisation and functioning of the Commission of Access to Information of
public interest and to the Public Documents (CAIDP). Following the designation

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AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER Côte d’Ivoire 2016

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