By Bobor Dan Kamara
Justice of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone Abdulai Masiyamba Bangura has called for the strengthening of press freedom and the protection of journalists.
He made this clarion call on Saturday during his keynote address at the 53rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) in Bo.
At the AGM, he said the new constitution should reaffirm SLAJ’s commitment to fighting for press freedom through advocacy and legal reforms.
He highlighted the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law of 1965 in 2020 as a landmark achievement that liberalizes the press in enhancing freer, more independent, and attractive practice systems.
He pinpointed that decreminalization of journalists has its own lows as aggrieved persons have resorted to unorthodox responses.
Regarding this year’s theme ” Charting the Way Forward: A New Constitution for an Inclusive and stronger SLAJ”, he admonished journalists to reflect on the challenges and opportunities before them in the pursuit to establishing a robust foundation for the future of journalism in Sierra Leone.
On going forward, the Supreme Court judge said inclusivity must be the cornerstone of the new Constitution, laying the framework for accountability both with SLAJ and the broader media landscape.
He commended the Constitution Review Committee, highlighting a series of sections in the draft that the Association needs to reconsider.
