Independent Media Commision Act, 2020
An Act re-establishing and strengthening the Independent Media Commission, the regulator of the media in Sierra Leone.
Summary
The Independent Media Commission Act, 2020 re-establishes and strengthens the Independent Media Commission (IMC), the statutory body that regulates the media and promotes media freedom and professional standards in Sierra Leone.
The Act provides for the independence, composition and functions of the Commission, including the registration of media institutions, the maintenance of professional and ethical standards through a media code, the handling of complaints against the media, and the promotion of a free, responsible and pluralistic press. It provides for the Commission's governance, funding and enforcement powers.
The 2020 Act is associated with media-law reform of the period, which also saw the repeal of criminal libel.
Main provisions
- Re-establishes the Independent Media Commission as an independent regulator.
- Provides for its composition, independence and governance.
- Provides for the registration of media institutions.
- Maintains professional and ethical standards through a media code.
- Handles complaints against the media and provides enforcement powers.
- Promotes a free, responsible and pluralistic media.