London: A major new report has accused Commonwealth governments of undermining press freedom and restricting free expression through outdated and punitive laws. The study, "Who Controls the Narrative? Legal Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in the Commonwealth," was published on Tuesday by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA), and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA). It warns that national laws in many of the 56 member countries continue to criminalize legitimate speech and are being used to intimidate journalists, human rights defenders, and critics of government.
According to Ghana News Agency, the report is based on a close analysis of the national legal frameworks and draws on testimonies from over 30 senior journalists and 35 lawyers across Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Caribbean, Europe, and the Pacific regions. The findings reveal that 213 journalists were killed in 19 Commonwealth countries between 2006 and 2023, and in 96 percent of cases, no one was brought to justice. The report highlights that 41 countries maintain criminal penalties for defamation, 48 still enforce sedition laws, and 37 retain blasphemy-style legislation, many carrying long prison terms.
The authors argue that this patchwork of restrictions is a direct obstacle to democratic accountability. They call for urgent reforms to align national laws with international human rights standards and for decisive action to protect journalists from violence and intimidation. The report comes less than a year after Commonwealth leaders adopted the Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in Good Governance at their October 2024 summit in Samoa. These guidelines, described as a breakthrough after an eight-year civil society campaign, commit governments to creating a safe environment for media and reviewing restrictive laws.
However, the report concludes that past inaction by the Commonwealth has enabled a climate of impunity and repression in some member states. It urges governments, in partnership with civil society and UNESCO, to develop action plans for repealing criminal speech laws and to prioritize the protection of civil and political rights across the Commonwealth. The report also calls for reform of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), the body tasked with upholding the organization's democratic values. It proposes the creation of a Commonwealth Envoy on Freedom of Expression to monitor abuses and hold governments accountable.
Sneh Aurora, Director of CHRI, stated: "Too many Commonwealth countries continue to enforce colonial-era laws that criminalize speech and silence dissent, in clear violation of their international obligations. The Media Principles adopted in Samoa provide a timely opportunity for member states to take concrete steps - through law reform and institutional safeguards - to protect freedom of expression."
William Horsley of the CJA noted: "The almost complete failure of Commonwealth countries to prosecute and punish those responsible for the killings of over 200 journalists in 20 years is shameful. This culture of impunity must be swept away. A genuine Commonwealth engagement to protect the truth-tellers from threats and reprisals would give the organization a vital new sense of purpose at a time when the concept of truth is under fierce attack."
