Sunday Times and me, Part II: The Empire strikes back, sort of

More than a month ago, I submitted my first Promotion of Access to Information (PAI) Act application to make public the 2008 Sunday Times report by the Harber commission. On 3 May 2011, World Press Freedom Day, Avusa informed me my application had been denied. While I was not surprised, I remain puzzled.

By Michelle Solomon

13 May 2011

...In an astounding slight against freedom of information, transparency and media accountability, Avusa last week refused to release the 2008 report.

And in a twist of irony, I received the refusal, written by Avusa editor-in-chief Mondli Makhanya, on World Press Freedom Day, the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom, a document which places freedom of the press, of expression and access to information as fundamental to the states that the "fulfillment of human aspirations".

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Michelle Solomon

About Michelle Solomon

Michelle Solomon is doing her masters in journalism and media studies at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, where she also works as a freelance researcher and journalist. When she's not out sniffing for stories, she takes a particular interest in research about media ethics and self-regulation. Follow her on Twitter at @mishsolomon.