Major Boost for Free Expression as President Sirleaf Submits Anti-Criminal Libel Bill to Parliament

In a major act of statesmanship before leaving power at the end of the year, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia on July 20, 2017, submitted to Parliament a bill to decriminalize press offenses, particularly, libel.

Titled “An Act to Amend the Liberian Codes Revised, Penal Law of 1978,” the bill is expected to be considered by the legislature and passed before members take their annual leave ahead of Liberia’s October 2017 general elections.

One of the offensive sections of the Penal Law – 11:11(b) – which the bill seeks to amend, defines as a “misdemanor” any publication which imputes crime to the President if “The purpose of the actor is to thereby injure the President in his reputation.” Section 11:14 also defines as a “first degree misdemeanor” any such accusation “either by word of mouth, writing or by public broadcast” against any executive authority, judicial authority and member of the Legislature.

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