Old law skews Seychelles press freedom rank |03 May 2018

Seychelles’ press freedom landscape has improved and seeming stagnation is the result of old media laws – not lack of progress – local practitioners have said.

Speaking to Seychelles NATION ahead of World Press Freedom Day, which falls today, both seasoned and new journalists said it is now easier to report on more topics and with less self-censorship.

At first glance it was therefore not clear why Seychelles has advanced only two places from rank 87 to 85 among 180 countries this year, yet it rose five places last year and four, in 2016.

The standing was announced by the Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières, RSF) just over a week ago and the World Press Freedom Day is being marked by events led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), under the theme ‘Keeping power in check: media, justice and the rule of law’.

Although the law has never been used in Seychelles, it is still possible to prosecute journalists for “criminal libel”, a law which reflects badly on the country.

Newly elected chairperson of the Seychelles Media Association Rassin Vannier pointed this out during an interview with Seychelles NATION.

“The slow climb does not mean things are not getting better, but other parameters used to arrive at the country’s index have prevented us from rising faster up the ranks,” he said, as the United Sates sank five places, a decline directly linked to President Donald Trump’s attitude towards the media.

Regarding amendment to the law to remove the section that effectively criminalises libel, Mr Vannier said Seychelles is “being careful not to leave the door open to abuse by journalists who may in response act irresponsibly,” and work is ongoing to see how such loopholes can be sealed.

RSF (Reporters Sans Frontières) says the dropping of scores around the world reflects growing animosity towards journalists.

“Hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism pose a threat to democracies,” the organisation said as it released the results.

“The climate of hatred is steadily more visible in the index, which evaluates the level of press freedom in 180 countries each year. Hostility towards the media from political leaders is no longer limited to authoritarian countries where media-phobia is now so pronounced that journalists who do not offer loyalty are arbitrarily imprisoned,” RSF said in part.

“More and more democratically-elected leaders no longer see the media as part of democracy’s essential underpinning, but as an adversary to which they openly display their aversion.

“The United States of America – the country of the First Amendment – has fallen again in the index under Donald Trump, this time two places to 45th. A media-bashing enthusiast, Trump has referred to reporters as ‘enemies of the people,’ the term once used by Joseph Stalin,” said the RSF.

Local journalists said Seychellois reporters have enjoyed progressive freedom and while state control has not been directly exercised, there has been self-censorship among journalists, which has with time nearly completely vanished.

Echoing Mr Vannier’s words, they said remuneration for media people across the board is the main hurdle.

“Media work is not easy. It calls for personal sacrifices, as we work during odd hours, in all manner of places, under tight deadlines and when others are resting,” said one reporter who asked not to be named.

Mr Vannier said lack of training for journalists locally is another hiccup Seychelles suffers from.

He said the government-funded Seychelles News Agency is free from censorship and provides a platform that sends out news without fear of offending financiers since it is not dependent on advertisements.

He agreed, however, that its coverage of news is of greater appeal to an overseas audience.

The Seychelles judiciary is seen to be reasonably media-friendly and has a website – www.seylii.org – through which judgments and most recent information is passed to the public.

The courts also have a competent reporter who sends out press releases to the media when necessary, and the judiciary does not seem overly sensitive to criticism.

“Our work is to deliver judgments in line with the law. After that it is up to the public and the media to tear it up and poke holes where they wish,” a judge told Seychelles NATION.

In her message to mark the day, Unesco’s director general Audrey Azoulay says our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, which cannot be limited without being lost.

“The ideal of a state under the rule of law calls for well-informed citizens, transparent political decisions, public debates on topics of common interest and a plurality of viewpoints that shape opinions and undermine official truths and dogmatism.”

She says the power to inform mainly falls under the media.                                                                                                                                                                             

“Unesco is actively involved in defending the freedom of expression, which is at the core of its mandate, and today celebrates the 25th World Press Freedom Day. The theme chosen this year is an open invitation to think of the relations between the media, justice and the rule of law. It is also an opportunity to examine the new challenges regarding the freedom of online press,” says Ms Azoulay.