THE CHARTER OF CIVIL SOCIETY
FOR THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY

ARTICLE VIII

Freedom of Expression and Access to Information

1. Every person shall have the right to the enjoyment of freedom of expression including the right to:
   (a) hold opinions and to receive and communicate ideas and information without interference and freely to send or receive communications by correspondence or other means;
   (b) seek, distribute or disseminate to other persons and the public information, opinions, and ideas in any form whatever.
   
   
2. The right conferred by paragraph 1 of this Article shall also be enjoyed by the media.
   
   
3. The exercise of the right conferred by this Article carries with it special duties and responsibilities and may be exercisable subject to such reasonable restrictions in the public interest, as may be imposed by law and are justifiable in a democratic society:
   (a) for the protection of the reputations, rights and freedoms of other persons; or
   (b) in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health.
   
   
4. The States shall respect, encourage and promote the existence of a diversity of sources of information as a means of ensuring greater public access to information.
   
   
5. This Article shall not be construed as preventing the State from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, transmission or other means of communication, public exhibition or public entertainment.

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