MONROVIA, Montserrado – President George Manneh Weah has resubmitted a bill to the National Legislature to decriminalize libel and other impediments to free speech.
The bill seeks to amend the Penal Law, repealing criminal libel against the president, sedition, and criminal malevolence.
In his communication to lawmakers, the president cited the constitution’s provision of the freedom of speech and expression, in addition to Liberia’s signing of the Table Mountain Declaration which demands that African countries abolish insult and criminal defamation laws.
Weah also reminded the National Legislature of the Freedom of Information Law and the Independent Information Commission.
If enacted into law, the act will be known as the Kamara Abdullai Kamara Act of Press Freedom, in honor of deceased journalist Kamara Abdullai Kamara, the former president of the Press Union of Liberia.
Weah emphasized the important role Kamara played in convincing the government to repeal provisions on the law which impeded the freedom of speech and the independence of the press in Liberia.
Featured photo by Flickr’s wiredforlego
