Preamble We, journalists and other media professionals of Rwanda, Convinced that the free fl ow of information and public’s blossoming constitute the foundation of freedom, democracy and development; Drawing on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) ratifi ed by the Government of Rwanda; Considering that freedoms of speech, opinion, conscience and press are enshrined in the Constitution of June 2003 as amended to date; Drawing lessons from the media’s social role in Rwanda; Aware of the evolution of the Rwandan Society; Have adopted this Code of Ethics spelling out the obligations and rights of journalists and media professionals in Rwanda.
TITLE I: JOURNALISTS’ OBLIGATIONS In the exercise of their profession, information collection, processing, broadcasting and publication, journalists and other media professionals have the following obligations:
ARTICLE 1: Defence of universal values The journalist and any other media professional shall defend the universal human values of peace, tolerance, democracy, human rights, social progress and national cohesion respectful of each citizen in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
ARTICLE 2: Honesty and search for truth The journalist and any other media professional shall abhor lies. They have the obligation to respect facts and search for truth, keeping in mind the public’s right to true information. In no way shall they suppress essential information or distort any kind of remarks, texts and documents. They shall consider slander, abuse, libel and groundless accusations as the most dangerous professional faults.
ARTICLE 3: Social responsibility The journalist and any other media professional shall keep in mind their social responsibility. They shall, therefore, distribute or publish only information for which they have established the origin, veracity and accuracy. They shall abstain or express necessary reservations in required professional forms for any doubt however slight it may be.
ARTICLE 4: Incitement to hatred The journalist and any other media professional shall avoid broadcasting or publishing biased information inciting to racial, tribal, ethnic, religious hatred or hatred based on sex, age, social status, disability, any disease or health status of the people mentioned or anything likely to serve as a basis for stigmatisation. The contrary will be justifi able only when precision contributes to the search for truth. They shall proscribe any form of discrimination.
ARTICLE 5: Rectifi cation, right of reply and right to retort Broadcasted or published false news and inaccurate information shall spontaneously be rectifi ed. Individuals and organisations are entitled to the right of reply and the right to retort in the conditions provided for by the law. Rectifi cation, right of reply and right to retort shall only be exercised in the press organ, which broadcasted or published the information raising controversy.
ARTICLE 6: Respect for private life and human dignity The journalist and any other media professional shall respect human dignity and privacy. The broadcasting or publication of any information related to private life shall only be dictated by public interest.
ARTICLE 7: Violence and obscenities The journalist and any other media professional shall avoid broadcasting or publishing scenes of violence or obscene pictures encouraging violence or other illegal activities.
ARTICLE 8: Protection of minors and victims of rape The journalist and any other media professional shall show sensitivity and exercise caution while handling information relating to rape involving minors less than 18 years of age. They shall be careful not to identify the names of minors, their picture and photos or details likely to lead to their identifi cation, except if this serves the child’s interests. They shall equally avoid identifying victims of rape unless the latter agree, are of age and received explanations on possible consequences of such information.
ARTICLE 9: Professional honour and dignity Unless it proves to be necessary, the journalist and any other media professional shall avoid using unfair methods to obtain information, photos or pictures. Nor shall they abuse the good faith of their sources. They shall refuse any advantage, fi nancial or in kind, from those who might wish to infl uence the coverage of an event and thereby endanger the professional integrity and honour of the 9 journalist, any media professional and all public communication professions.
ARTICLE 10: Independence The journalist and any other media professional shall withstand any external or internal pressure aiming at having them modify or distort information. They shall receive editorial guidelines from only editorial staff officers, and they are fully accountable for their writings or reports, in the conditions provided for by the press law.
ARTICLE 11: Sensational headlines and exaggeration of facts The journalist and any other media professional shall refrain from using any sensational headline which is not proportional to the facts and content of the information broadcasted or published.
ARTICLE 12: Professional confi dentiality and protection of sources The journalist and any other media professional have the obligation of professional confi dentiality. While broadcasting or publishing information, they shall mention their sources. However, they have the obligation to protect those having 10 requested for confi dentiality. This protection becomes necessary if identifi cation may be prejudicial to these sources.
ARTICLE 13: Separation of comments from facts The journalist and any other media professional are free to make a stand on any issue. They have the obligation to separate comments from facts.
ARTICLE 14: Information balance The journalist and any other media professional shall be mindful of balance in the broadcasting or publication of information in line with fundamental regulations.
ARTICLE 15: Plagiarism The journalist and any other media professional shall refrain from plagiarism and, instead, strive to respect intellectual property. If the need arises, it is imperative that the source be mentioned even when it comes from one’s colleagues.
ARTICLE 16: Incompatibility between the duties of journalist and those of the media relations offi cer Duties of media relations offi cer, public relations officer, institutional spokesperson and other related duties are incompatible with the exercise of the journalism profession.
ARTICLE 17: Separation of information from advertisement Information and advertisement shall be separated. The journalist and any other media professional do not sign in their names advertisement articles or read advertisement messages.
ARTICLE 18: Innocence presumption The journalist and any other media professional shall observe the innocence presumption principle for those suspected of punishable or criminal facts before the verdict from competent courts and tribunals is announced. While handling any legal information, they shall avoid establishing any individuals’ relationship with the suspect, or referring to his or her ethnic group, tribe, religion, sex, family or friends, unless their mention serves public interest. If suspects’ pictures or photos are broadcasted or published before their guilt is established, the journalist or media professional responsible for publishing those pictures has the obligation to follow up the lawsuit and broadcast or publish the verdict from competent courts and tribunals. However, if suspects are less than 18 years of age, journalists and other media professionals shall be careful not to broadcast or publish their pictures or photos before competent courts and tribunals establish their liability.
ARTICLE 19: Solidarity The journalist and any other media professional duly accredited undertake to defend and protect the interests of their profession in general, and in particular those of a male and female colleague, being the subject of legal proceedings or administrative procedures resulting from his or her writings or media productions considered or established to be in conformity with this Code.
ARTICLE 20: Peer jurisdictions Following the preceding article, the journalist and any other media professional that have voluntarily accepted to confi rm to this code shall also accept their peer jurisdiction. Peer jurisdictions will be exercised through an independent board, to which the public can complain about perceived breaches of the code. If the independent board fi nds that the media has infringed the code of conduct it has the power to oblige the offending media house to issue and publish an immediate correction and apology. Under extreme and deliberate breach of the code, the independent board has the power to impose fi nes or even exclude the media house from the media board. The media in question must publish all the fi ndings of the board. The journalist and any other media professional shall make effort to know national legislation and regulation governing the press.
TITLE II: JOURNALISTS’ RIGHTS The journalist and any other media professional shall, in the exercise of their profession, claim for the following rights:
ARTICLE 21: Free access to sources The journalist and any other media professional, in the exercise of their profession, shall have access to all sources of information, and they shall have the right to freely carry out investigation into the facts conditioning public life.
ARTICLE 22: Subordination refusal The journalist and any other media professional have the right to refuse any subordination contrary to the press organ’s editorial line.
ARTICLE 23: Conscience provision The journalist and any other media professional, in the exercise of their profession, may invoke the conscience provision. They may refuse to write or read political comments and editorials in contradiction with the rules of professional ethics, or to censor articles, radio, television and electronic works, or any other mass broadcasting aid from their peers, on grounds other than professional ones. The refusal shall not be ground of employment loss through fi ring and if this happens, peers shall show solidarity and strongly denounce the act.
ARTICLE 24: Journalist’s protection Considering the particularity of their profession, the journalist and any media professional are, all over the national territory, entitled to the security of their person and working materials, their legal protection and the respect of their dignity, without any condition or restriction.
ARTICLE 25: Protection of sources The journalist and any other media professional have the right to refuse to disclose their sources. In no way shall they be subjected to threats owing to this stand.
ARTICLE 26: Consultation obligation The editorial team shall compulsorily be informed about any important decision likely to have an impact on the life of the institution. It shall at least be consulted, before fi nal decision is made, about any measure of interest to the editorial team: recruitment, dismissal, transfer and promotion of journalists and media professionals.
ARTICLE 27: Contract and remuneration In view of their duties and responsibilities, the journalist and any media professional shall be entitled not only to collective conventions but also to an individual contract ensuring them material and moral security as well as a remuneration proportional to their social role, whihc guarantees thier economic independence.
Done in Kigali, on 17 June 2011
Source: http://mhc.gov.rw/fileadmin/templates/PdfDocuments/Ethics/Code_of_Ethics.pdf
Updated: 01/04/2016
