As we have been reporting, Cabinet has signaled its intention to criminalize the unauthorized publication, dissemination or disclosure of statements, documents, video footage, photographs, or other materials that form part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
One week ago you heard the police Minister say that they will take into account the freedom of the press when working out the law. But free press advocate and Attorney Darell Bradley says that extreme care must be exercised to not act as after not he free press:
Darell Bradley- Attorney
"One of the things I do want to emphasize is that I did have chance of reading the cabinet brief and I did not see my understanding is that it's an intention that cabinet discussed and cabinet wants to see draft legislation but in these cases the devil is in the details we would want to see the draft we would want to see the details to see if any kind of would be kept from the media or there would be instances where could determine what kind of information the media gets or what information can make public that is something you'd want to look at very carefully with a view to seeing if we would challenge that to see if that would be a violation of a person fundamental right to free expression and the media right to press freedom."
"The media provides a very fundamental function within the democracy space to air public grievances to provide public information, to act as a check and balance on public authorities including members in the political directorate and even in the police. So the media is recognized as the 4 estate or the fourth arm of the democracy and they play a very fundamental role and role has to be protected. So that whatever type of amendment has to make clear expectations and provisions for the right of the free press and for the right of the free exchange of information"
Bradley suggests that in cases where the media is accused of unprofessional conduct, that can be dealt with through the means of training and program and not through legal means that can be interpreted as stifling or muzzling the free exchange of ideas.
