African Editors' Forum meets in SA

This includes ways of building editors' organisations in every country in Africa, to give senior editors a voice and a communications network on the continent.

Freedom concerns

The meeting noted two particular concerns - the Moroccan newspaper editor, Rachid Nini, held in jail for 150 days. He is appealing the one-year sentence he received in June. He is editor of Al-Massae (The Night), charged with disinformation and attacking state institutions. TAEF asks all members to highlight this case.

The second is South Africa's Protection of State Information Bill, where TAEF delegates applauded the actions of the South African National Editors Forum (SANEF), working with other organisations, which has forced the South African government to delay the passage of this Bill. TAEF believes the delay is a step in the right direction and encourages the South African government to retain its status as a shining light on media freedom by totally scrapping the unnecessary piece of legislation. TAEF reminds the South African government of what former President Nelson Mandela said in 1995, "Not even the most repressive regime can stop human beings from finding ways of communicating and obtaining access to information."

AGM in Rwanda

TAEF decided to hold its 2012 bi-annual general meeting in Rwanda. It also resolved to put strong support behind the Declaration of the African Platform on Access to Information (Apai), which is a continental movement for a 'Right to Know Day' and an African and worldwide charter on citizens' rights for access to information as a follow-up on the Windhoek Declaration of 1991. It is also a partner in the Declaration of Table Mountain and a member of its Executive Committee and will continue to promote this campaign against criminal defamation and "insult laws".