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Freedom of the Press - Mauritius (2006)

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 6
Political Influences: 8
Economic Pressures: 12
Total Score: 26

Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 72
Religious Groups: Hindu (48 percent), Christian (32.2 percent), Muslim (16.6 percent), other (3.2 percent).
Ethnic Groups: Indo-Mauritian (68 percent), Creole (27 percent), Sino-Mauritian (3 percent), Franco-Mauritian (2 percent).
Capital: Port Louis

Press freedom is guaranteed by the constitution and is respected in practice. Strict libel laws exist but have not been used by the government to inhibit the media, though private libel suits are common. A dozen private daily and weekly newspapers publish throughout the country in a variety of languages. Some of these papers – among them L'Express – have long been respected for their unbiased coverage and critical eye. The government maintains a monopoly over local broadcasting stations that generally reflect the party line, but private national radio stations have begun to emerge since their legalization in 2002. In preparation for the elections in July of this year, the Independent Broadcasting Authority took measures to ensure equal media coverage for all political parties and candidates. Several international broadcast news stations are available, and the internet is unrestricted and widely used for an African nation at 14 percent of the population, but access is controlled by a single service provider.

Topics: Freedom of information, Freedom of expression,