New digital media: freedom of expression and safeguarding journalists in the context of East Africa

Article

Kirabira, T. 2020. New digital media: freedom of expression and safeguarding journalists in the context of East Africa. Cross-Cultural Human Rights Review. 2 (1), pp. 49-71. https://doi.org/10.52854/cchrr.39
AuthorsKirabira, T.
Abstract

Many East African states have developed restrictive legal and policy measures regarding the use of the internet. This has resulted in the declining state of media freedom and safety of journalists. This article addresses freedom of expression as a pre-condition for safeguarding journalists in selected East African countries of Tanzania and Burundi. It highlights notable cases, where the regional court has emphasized the importance of press freedom as a precursor for democracy. It concludes that the relevant regional legal framework offers adequate protection for the safety of journalists. However, countries have not fully implemented their obligations. In particular, press and cyber laws create a chilling effect on the treatment of journalists. The article contributes to a broader interrogation of how discourses about the safety of journalists are constructed and applied in the context of growing online activity.

KeywordsEast Africa; Digital Media; Democracy; Journalists; Freedom of Expression; Safeguarding
JournalCross-Cultural Human Rights Review
Journal citation2 (1), pp. 49-71
ISSN2666-3678
Year2020
PublisherCross-Cultural Human Rights Review
Publisher's version
License
File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.52854/cchrr.39
Web address (URL)https://cchrr-journal.org/articles/10.52854/cchrr.39
Publication dates
Print30 Sep 2020
Publication process dates
Deposited26 Feb 2024
Copyright holder© 2022, The Author
Permalink -

https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/8x573

Log in to edit

Download files

Publisher's version
Kirabira- Freedom of Expression paper-2020.pdf
License: CC BY 4.0
File access level: Anyone

  • 46
    total views
  • 21
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

International Criminal Law, Complementarity and Amnesty Within the Context of Transitional Justice: Lessons from Uganda
Kirabira, T. R. 2024. International Criminal Law, Complementarity and Amnesty Within the Context of Transitional Justice: Lessons from Uganda. International Criminal Law Review. 24 (5-6), pp. 759-772. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-bja10212
Africa’s Blue Economy: What Role for Social Sustainability?
Kirabira, T., Choukroune, L. and Yuan, H. 2024. Africa’s Blue Economy: What Role for Social Sustainability? AfronomicsLaw.
Lord’s Resistance Army: ICC awards reparations to victims of commander Dominic Ongwen – what happens next
Kirabira, T. and Uche, M.C. 2024. Lord’s Resistance Army: ICC awards reparations to victims of commander Dominic Ongwen – what happens next. The Conversation.
UK and US may recognise state of Palestine after Gaza war – what this important step would mean
Kirabira, T. 2024. UK and US may recognise state of Palestine after Gaza war – what this important step would mean. The Conversation.
Feminist Judgments at the International Criminal Court: The Case of Dominic Ongwen
Kirabira, T., Ringin, A. and Grey, R. 2024. Feminist Judgments at the International Criminal Court: The Case of Dominic Ongwen. in: McLoughlin, K., Grey, R., Chappell, L. and Varrall, S. (ed.) Feminist Judgments: Re-imagining the International Criminal Court Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya – here’s what could happen next
Kirabira, T. 2023. British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya – here’s what could happen next. The Conversation.
States and International Criminal Justice: COST CA18228 Scoping Survey
Aksamitowska, K., Andaya, R., Anosova, I., Aydın-Aitchison, A., Bernasol, J., Bhadra, P., Brandon, E., Buljubašić, M., Chakrabarty, I., Christensen, M. J., de León Agosto, L., Dobrovolskis, M., Emasealu, M., Gërdeci, A., Ghiasi, S., Gómez Alcorta, E., Hoffmann, T., Higgins, N., Hossain, M. P., Hronum, C., Jeiranashvili, N., Jusufi, I., Kirabira, T., Lingaas, C., Lohne, K., Maguire, G., Maljević, A., Mancini, M., Markevičiūtė, U., Martinaitytė, L., Matsiko, S., Mejía, G., Munivrana, M., Dalsgaard Nielsen, T. A., Oyewole, O., Radmanović, J., Ragaišytė, I. M., Ristivojević, B., Roksandić, S., Samardžić, S., Šestan, K., Steponavičiūtė, R., Stojanović, N, Švedas, G., Tamayo Gomez, C., Vegh Weis, V., Vosyliūtė, A., Holá, B., Rodrigues, F. and Vasiliev, S. 2023. States and International Criminal Justice: COST CA18228 Scoping Survey. Global Atrocity Justice Constellations. https://doi.org/10.7488/ds/7536
Intersection of Law, Religion, Customs, and the Problem of Child Marriage in Global South: A Comparative Study of India, Nigeria and Uganda
Kirabira, T., Mishra, N. and Onwubiko, J. N. 2023. Intersection of Law, Religion, Customs, and the Problem of Child Marriage in Global South: A Comparative Study of India, Nigeria and Uganda. in: John, M., Devaiah, V. H., Baruah, P., Tundawala, M. and Kumar, N. (ed.) The Indian Yearbook of Comparative Law 2020 Singapore Springer Singapore. pp. 247-274
Combating domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence during conflict: the case of the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh
Kirabira, T. and Lee Winter, F. 2023. Combating domestic violence and sexual and gender-based violence during conflict: the case of the Rohingyas in Myanmar and Bangladesh. in: Zhang, D. and Peterson, D. S. (ed.) International Responses to Gendered-Based Domestic Violence: Gender-Specific and Socio-Cultural Approaches New York Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 113-125
Uganda’s Post-War Transitional Justice Process: Have Housing, Land and Property Rights been Restored?
Kirabira, T. and Choukroune, L. 2023. Uganda’s Post-War Transitional Justice Process: Have Housing, Land and Property Rights been Restored? Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies. 14 (1), pp. 156-181. https://doi.org/10.1163/18781527-bja10063
Kenya and the ICC: law expert answers 4 questions following death of a key lawyer
Kirabira, T. 2022. Kenya and the ICC: law expert answers 4 questions following death of a key lawyer. The Conversation.
NGO roles in achieving Transitional Justice for crimes against the Rohingya
Kirabira, T. and Palmer, E. 2022. NGO roles in achieving Transitional Justice for crimes against the Rohingya. in: Hasan, M., Murshed, S.M. and Pillai, P. (ed.) The Rohingya Crisis: Humanitarian and Legal Approaches London Routledge. pp. 211-236
Book Review: Marketing Global Justice: The Political Economy of International Criminal Law by C. Schwöbel-Patel
Kirabira, T. and Sehmi, A. 2022. Book Review: Marketing Global Justice: The Political Economy of International Criminal Law by C. Schwöbel-Patel . Leiden Journal of International Law. 35 (3), pp. 725-729. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0922156522000279
NGOs and legitimacy of international criminal justice in Uganda
Kirabira, T. 2022. NGOs and legitimacy of international criminal justice in Uganda. in: Jeßberger, F., Steinl, L. and Mehta,K. (ed.) International Criminal Law – a Counter Hegemonic Project? The Hague, The Netherlands T.M.C. Asser Press. pp. 153–174
Book Review: Africa and the Backlash Against International Courts by Peter Brett and Line Engbo Gissel.
Kirabira, T. R. 2021. Book Review: Africa and the Backlash Against International Courts by Peter Brett and Line Engbo Gissel. Social and Legal Studies. 31 (2), pp. 340-343. https://doi.org/10.1177/09646639211032597
The Right to Live under Threat: On the Armed Forces (The Tatmadaw) Taking Power in Myanmar
Kirabira, T., Lee-Winter, F. and Collins, L. 2021. The Right to Live under Threat: On the Armed Forces (The Tatmadaw) Taking Power in Myanmar . Völkerrechtsblog. pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.17176/20210408-100939-0
Technology as a Key Tool for the Prosecution of International Crimes: Lessons from Uganda
Kirabira, T. 2021. Technology as a Key Tool for the Prosecution of International Crimes: Lessons from Uganda. International Criminal Law Review. 22 (5-6), pp. 1143-1167. https://doi.org/10.1163/15718123-bja10116
Ongwen at the International Criminal Court
Kirabira, T. 2021. Ongwen at the International Criminal Court. ASIL Insights. 25 (7), pp. 1-5.
NGO influence in global governance: achieving transitional justice in Uganda and beyond
Kirabira, T. 2021. NGO influence in global governance: achieving transitional justice in Uganda and beyond. Cambridge International Law Journal. 10 (2), pp. 280-299. https://doi.org/10.4337/cilj.2021.02.06
The International Criminal Court and the Transformation of Post-War Justice in Northern Uganda
Kirabira, T. and Miracle, U. 2021. The International Criminal Court and the Transformation of Post-War Justice in Northern Uganda. Sentio. 3, pp. 45-52.
Elements of aggravation in ICC sentencing: victim centred perspectives
Kirabira, T. 2021. Elements of aggravation in ICC sentencing: victim centred perspectives. Amsterdam Law Forum. 13 (2), pp. 25-42. https://doi.org/10.37974/ALF.406
Dossier: the stateless Rohingya — practical consequences of expulsion
Kirabira, T. and Lee-Winter, F. 2021. Dossier: the stateless Rohingya — practical consequences of expulsion. Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal. 15 (2), pp. 3-9. https://doi.org/10.5038/1911-9933.15.2.1863
Alternative justice for victims in Uganda: learning from the impact of COVID-19 on the court system
Kirabira, T. 2021. Alternative justice for victims in Uganda: learning from the impact of COVID-19 on the court system. Radical Review. 1, pp. 44-48.
The role of NGOs in the domestic implementation of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy Framework: perspectives from Uganda
Kirabira, T. 2021. The role of NGOs in the domestic implementation of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy Framework: perspectives from Uganda. African Human Rights Yearbook. 22 (5), pp. 180-201. https://doi.org/10.29053/2523-1367/2021/v5a9
Surrender of Ali Kushayb and Paul Gicheru: New Perspectives in Africa’s Relationship with the ICC
Kirabira, T. 2021. Surrender of Ali Kushayb and Paul Gicheru: New Perspectives in Africa’s Relationship with the ICC. NYU Journal of International Law and Politics. 54 (1), pp. 23-33.
Fixing the missing link in foreign investment
Kirabira, T. 2020. Fixing the missing link in foreign investment. in: Nabwowe Kasule, A. and Mncwabe, N. (ed.) Economic and Social Rights Advocacy (ESRA) Brief: 2021 General Elections: Voting fror Quality Service Delivery Kampala, Uganda Initiative for Social and Economic Rights. pp. 45-46
Establishing Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations: an Analysis of the Rohingya conflict
Kirabira, T. 2020. Establishing Accountability for Gross Human Rights Violations: an Analysis of the Rohingya conflict. Humanitäres Völkerrecht. 3 (1-2), pp. 141-158. https://doi.org/10.35998/huv-2020-0009