Freedom of the Press - Sao Tome and Principe (2004)
| Publisher | Freedom House |
| Publication Date | 28 April 2004 |
| Cite as | Freedom House, Freedom of the Press - Sao Tome and Principe (2004), 28 April 2004, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4734513023.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Status: Free
Legal Environment: 4
Political Influences: 10
Economic Pressures: 14
Total Score: 28
Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 65
Religious Groups: Christian [Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist] (80 percent), other (20 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Mestico,[Portuguese-African], African minority [primarily desendant of slaves and indentured servants from Angola and Mozambique], European [primarily Portuguese]
Capital: São Tomé
Freedom of the press is generally respected in law and in practice. There are six independent and two government-run newspapers. Three foreign radio programs are rebroadcast locally. While no law forbids the establishment and operation of independent media, the sole radio and television stations are government-run, with no privately owned stations. The law grants opposition parties airtime and access to the government-run media; parties freely produce and distribute newsletters that are critical of the government. In March 2003, former Prime Minister Pinto da Costa was convicted and given a one-month suspended sentence and fine for defamation and calumny for accusations made in an open letter to the National Assembly charging that President Fradique de Menezes had mismanaged funds and usurped government authority. Sao Tome's poor economic situation greatly restricts the growth and diversity of its media, as well as the ability of newspapers to publish regularly.
