1.2.

The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists,
are asserting their rights without fear.

ANALYSIS:
In general, the assertion of freedoms – whether of expression or of the press – is not
perceptible at a level that could be considered satisfactory, even though today there is
much more openness than at the time of the war. Citizens still have to put up with limits
that result from laws such as those on state security, state secrets and others that limit
these very freedoms, whether of ordinary citizens or of journalists. There are issues that
even though they are public cannot be touched or spoken about, lest they infringe on
the areas above. These restrictions on press freedom and freedom of speech are more
accentuated in places further away from the main urban centres. Furthermore, state
officials persecute citizens and journalists when they publish or express themselves in
articles or other material in which the state or the officials are deemed to have been
offended. Time and time again, journalists see themselves embroiled in legal battles
over conflicting rights of the press or freedom of speech and alleged attempts against
the security of the state or state secrets.
SCORES:
Individual scores:

1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2

Average score:

1.9

1.3

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

ANALYSIS:
There are laws that interfere with freedom of speech and the responsibilities of the
media, such as the Law on National Security and the Law on State Secrets, which
establish a degree of limitation to the practice of the right of free expression. Examples
of such restrictions:

2

Select target paragraph3