Proposed law threatens press freedom

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) today said it was concerned about a plan to prosecute anyone who publicly criticises Papua New Guinea or its government, particularly journalists. An Australian and a Papua New Guinean have been summoned by a parliamentary committee over comments they made in the Australian media criticising the country. The group said the proposed laws, announced by the committee on 3 April, would violate the free speech and press provisions in the country’s constitution and urged Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to speak out against the proposals. It also called for the legal action against the two summoned critics to be dropped. The two men – Australian businessman Rod Mitchell and naturalised Papua New Guinean economist Mike Manning – appeared before the parliamentary standing privileges committee on 3 April. In an article in The Australian titled “Papua New Guinea, on the brink of collapse”, Manning, director of the Papua New Guinea Institute of National Affairs, was quoted as saying the country was deeply corrupt. Mitchell runs a pension fund and has been quoted in several Australian newspapers criticizing corruption. The commission’s proposed laws would also punish people who make statements that are suspected of tarnishing the dignity or integrity of parliament. Commission chairman Nick Couman said the laws would amend existing laws to provide “effective and reasonable means to deter critics who persistently and deliberately publish damaging articles.” Bob Howarth, publisher of Papua New Guinea’s daily The Courier-Mail, said: “This is the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my career as a journalist.” The government’s position on the proposal is unclear. A spokeswoman for Somare said on April 6 that the government did not necessarily agree with the proposal. But she also warned that the media must show responsibility and not publish negative news about the country.