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Conseil Économique Et Social NATIONS UNIES E Distr. Conseil économique GÉNÉRALE et social E/CN.4/2003/67/Add.2 9 janvier 2003 FRANÇAIS Original: ANGLAIS COMMISSION DES DROITS DE L’HOMME Cinquante-neuvième session Point 11 c) de l’ordre du jour provisoire DROITS CIVILS ET POLITIQUES, NOTAMMENT LA QUESTION DE LA LIBERTÉ D’EXPRESSION Rapport de M. Ambeyi Ligabo, Rapporteur spécial sur le droit à la liberté d’opinion et d’expression, soumis en application de la résolution 2002/48 de la Commission des droits de l’homme Additif Visite en Guinée équatoriale* * Le résumé du présent rapport est distribué dans toutes les langues officielles. Le rapport proprement dit est joint en annexe au résumé, et il est distribué dans la langue dans laquelle il a été présenté ainsi qu’en espagnol. GE.03-10036 (F) 280103 290103 E/CN.4/2003/67/Add.2 page 2 Résumé Le présent rapport a été établi en application de la résolution 2002/48 de la Commission des droits de l’homme. Le Rapporteur spécial présente et analyse les informations relatives à la situation concernant le droit à la liberté d’opinion et d’expression qu’il a recueillies avant et pendant sa visite en Guinée équatoriale, du 2 au 7 décembre 2002, auprès de fonctionnaires, de particuliers, d’organisations non gouvernementales et dans les rapports de l’ancien Représentant spécial de la Commission des droits de l’homme chargé de suivre de près la situation des droits de l’homme en République de Guinée équatoriale. Le Rapporteur spécial constate que la situation du point de vue de la liberté d’opinion et d’expression en Guinée équatoriale semble s’être améliorée sur le plan législatif. Plusieurs lois ont été adoptées au cours des dernières années, lesquelles, si elles sont intégralement appliquées, contribueraient grandement à promouvoir la liberté d’opinion et d’expression et à la faire respecter. Le Rapporteur spécial engage par conséquent le Gouvernement à prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour assurer la mise en œuvre des textes et des accords adoptés, tout particulièrement du Pacte national de 1993 et des accords connexes de 1997 et 2001 y afférents, de même que de la réglementation relative aux élections. Toutefois, le Rapporteur spécial relève que certaines dispositions, en particulier la loi de 1997 sur la presse, les publications et les moyens audiovisuels et la loi de 1999 relative aux organisations non gouvernementales, demandent à être révisées et mises en conformité avec les normes et les critères internationaux en matière de droit à la liberté d’opinion et d’expression. En ce qui concerne la situation des médias, le Rapporteur spécial est préoccupé par le fait qu’il n’existe pas d’organe de presse audiovisuelle libre et indépendant dans le pays et que des obstacles d’ordre juridique et administratif entravent l’activité de la presse écrite. Le Gouvernement devrait encourager par tous les moyens possibles la création d’organes d’information pluralistes, libres et indépendants et assurer la protection et le respect de l’indépendance de la presse et de la liberté d’opinion et d’expression des journalistes. Le Rapporteur spécial s’inquiète de ce que les organisations non gouvernementales de défense des droits de l’homme ne sont toujours pas autorisées à se faire enregistrer et à exercer leurs activités en Guinée équatoriale, et engage le Gouvernement à modifier la loi de 1999. Le Rapporteur spécial constate également avec préoccupation que certaines ONG sont frappées d’interdiction sans motif; évoquant en particulier le cas de l’Association du barreau et de l’Association de la presse, interdites en mai 2002, le Rapporteur spécial demande au Gouvernement de revenir sur cette décision et de permettre aux deux organisations de fonctionner librement. Le Rapporteur spécial estime que le système judiciaire devrait être réformé et qu’il faut d’urgence mettre en place une formation aux droits de l’homme et aux instruments qui les protègent, à l’intention des juges, des responsables de l’application de la loi et des avocats. Le Rapporteur spécial considère en outre que le statut et la compétence de la Commission nationale des droits de l’homme devraient être redéfinis en fonction des Principes concernant le statut des institutions nationales pour la promotion et la protection des droits de l’homme («Principes de Paris») adoptés par la Commission des droits de l’homme des Nations Unies en 1992 et par l’Assemblée générale en 1993. E/CN.4/2003/67/Add.2 page 3 Le Rapporteur spécial invite le Président de la République à envisager la remise en liberté des détenus à la suite du «procès des 144» de juin 2002. Enfin, le Rapporteur spécial recommande au Gouvernement de solliciter l’assistance technique des Nations Unies, et en particulier du Haut-Commissariat aux droits de l’homme, pour faciliter la mise en œuvre de ses recommandations. Une coopération accrue avec les mécanismes relatifs aux droits de l’homme des Nations Unies tels que les organes conventionnels et les procédures spéciales de la Commission des droits de l’homme serait à son avis des plus utiles. E/CN.4/2003/67/Add.2 page 4 Annex REPORT SUBMITTED BY MR. AMBEYI LIGABO, SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF OPINION AND EXPRESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS RESOLUTION 2002/48 MISSION TO EQUATORIAL GUINEA CONTENTS Paragraphs Page Introduction ........................................................................................... 1 - 7 5 I. GENERAL BACKGROUND AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK ... 8 - 22 6 A. General background .......................................................... 8 - 11 6 B. Legal framework ............................................................... 12 - 22 6 1. International obligations ......................................... 13 - 16 7 2. Domestic legislation ............................................... 17 - 20 7 3. Other laws and regulations with an impact on the exercise of the right to freedom of opinion and expression ........................................................ 21 - 22 8 II. PRINCIPAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCERNS .............. 23 - 50 9 A. The media ......................................................................... 24 - 29 9 B. The exercise of political rights ......................................... 30 - 38 10 C. Other concerns relevant to the promotion and respect for the right to freedom of opinion and expression ................ 39 - 50 11 III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................... 51 - 68 13 Appendix: List of persons the Special Rapporteur met during his visit ........................................................................…………… 16 E/CN.4/2003/67/Add.2 page 5 Introduction 1. This report has been prepared pursuant to resolution 2002/48 of the Commission on Human Rights. By letter dated 7 October 2002 addressed to the Permanent Representative of Equatorial Guinea to the United Nations Office at Geneva, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, sought the agreement of the Government to a visit to Equatorial Guinea. On 24 October 2002, the Government of Equatorial Guinea granted the request. 2. This report presents and analyses information received by Mr. Ambeyi Ligabo, Special Rapporteur, before and during his visit to Equatorial Guinea from 2 to 7 December 2002, from officials, individuals and non-governmental organizations on the situation of freedom of opinion and expression, including allegations of violations of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. The Special Rapporteur has also taken into consideration in the preparation of his mission the work of the former Special Representative of the Commission on Human Rights on the human rights situation in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. 3. The Special Rapporteur wishes to underline that, as his visit took place from 2 to 7 December 2002, the report does not cover the Presidential election of 15 December 2002. 4. The Special Rapporteur would like to express his gratitude for the cooperation extended to him by the Government of Equatorial Guinea in discharging his mandate. 5. The Special Rapporteur would also like to express his appreciation to the United Nations Resident Coordinator and staff of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as well as the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) in Malabo for their assistance prior to, and during the visit. 6. The Special Rapporteur visited the capital, Malabo. He met with the President of the Republic and government representatives. He also had the opportunity to talk with representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), media professionals, and members of the political opposition. A list of persons he met during the visit appears in the appendix to the present report. 7. The Special Rapporteur also requested to meet the following officials, and he regrets that they were not available: the Minister for Foreign Affairs; the Minister of Justice and Worship; the Minister of Information, Tourism and Culture; and the Vice-Minister of the Press, Radio and Television; a representative of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on Human Rights; the President of the Cámara de los Representantes del Pueblo (House of Representatives of the People) and members of the Corte Suprema de Justicia (Supreme Court). Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur regrets that he was not able to visit the Black Beach Prison in Malabo, where he had expressed the wish to meet with a number of detained political opposition parties’ leaders, convicted in June 2002 at the end of the “Trial of 144”. E/CN.4/2003/67/Add.2
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