Watch your mouth
Only half of Namibians believe that they have the right of freedom of association, says an Afrobarometer policy paper titled 'Are Africans' freedoms slipping away?'
Afrobarometer concludes that there are growing concerns about threats to democracy, such as “creeping restrictions” on individual rights and the exercise of basic freedoms.
On the other hand, it acknowledges that since 1999 these liberties have been better protected than it had been under previous authoritarian regimes.
The Afrobarometer policy paper also states that the percentage of Africans who believe people must be careful what they say about politics has increased.
The report states that only 77% of Namibians believe they enjoy freedom of expression, while 49% of Namibians feel they have to be careful when they talk about politics.
It shows that 44% of Namibians feel they have to be careful about which political organisations they join, while 41% of Namibians feel they must be careful about how they vote in elections.
The report says support for associational freedom has declined in some of the continent's leading democracies such as Namibia, Ghana, Benin, South Africa and Senegal.
The report also finds that 37% of Namibians believe the government has the right to monitor communications, while 61% support privacy of communication.
The country seems to be divided on the issue of freedom of religious worship against the government's right to regulate religious speech.
About 51% of Namibians said they would support a government decision to impose curfews if they were faced with threats to public security.
The study also highlights that citizens' assessments of how free they are, and of how cautious they must be in exercising their rights, have worsened considerably over the past decade.
JEMIMA BEUKES
Afrobarometer concludes that there are growing concerns about threats to democracy, such as “creeping restrictions” on individual rights and the exercise of basic freedoms.
On the other hand, it acknowledges that since 1999 these liberties have been better protected than it had been under previous authoritarian regimes.
The Afrobarometer policy paper also states that the percentage of Africans who believe people must be careful what they say about politics has increased.
The report states that only 77% of Namibians believe they enjoy freedom of expression, while 49% of Namibians feel they have to be careful when they talk about politics.
It shows that 44% of Namibians feel they have to be careful about which political organisations they join, while 41% of Namibians feel they must be careful about how they vote in elections.
The report says support for associational freedom has declined in some of the continent's leading democracies such as Namibia, Ghana, Benin, South Africa and Senegal.
The report also finds that 37% of Namibians believe the government has the right to monitor communications, while 61% support privacy of communication.
The country seems to be divided on the issue of freedom of religious worship against the government's right to regulate religious speech.
About 51% of Namibians said they would support a government decision to impose curfews if they were faced with threats to public security.
The study also highlights that citizens' assessments of how free they are, and of how cautious they must be in exercising their rights, have worsened considerably over the past decade.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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Namibian Sun
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