In his speech at the Estates General of Justice, the Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya, raised a crucial issue concerning the reform of the justice system and the constitutional right to information. He called for a thorough reflection on the reforms needed to ensure a fair balance between press freedom and media responsibility.
One of the proposals put forward by Patrick Muyaya is the need to enforce the law on the media, in order to prevent any abuse in the treatment of media blunders. He stressed the importance of ensuring that journalists are neither arrested nor questioned in an abusive manner, while reminding press professionals of the obligation to respect the laws governing their profession.
Furthermore, the Minister addressed the issue of decriminalizing press offenses, emphasizing the need to establish an effective mechanism for the right of reply and rectification for individuals or companies feeling wronged by the media. He also spoke about the responsibility of journalists, stressing that they must not go unpunished if they fail to comply with the rules established by the profession.
In this perspective, Patrick Muyaya called for the strengthening of the National Union of the Press of Congo (UNPC) to enable it to set up a tribunal of peers, responsible for sanctioning journalists in the event of a breach of ethical rules. He stressed the importance of this self-regulation to guarantee the integrity and credibility of the journalistic profession.
In conclusion, Patrick Muyaya’s speech highlights the major issues related to the reform of justice and the constitutional right to information. He calls for a constructive dialogue between the different stakeholders in order to find balanced and effective solutions to guarantee freedom of the press while ensuring compliance with professional standards and responsibilities. This speech underlines the importance of preserving a healthy and ethical media environment, an essential foundation of a strong and transparent democracy.