Maputo, Aug. 28, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique intends to strengthen the protection of journalists, enshrine conscientious objection and professional confidentiality, promote balanced media ownership and set the limit on foreign capital in media organisations at 35%.

The Information Office (GabInfo) began presenting the new legal framework to the public on Friday in preparation for implementing the media law; it comprises Law No. 19/2026, which replaces Law No. 18/91, in force since August 1991, and seeks to bring the sector into line «with the current legal and constitutional framework and with technological advances».

The law, which comes into force on 1 December 2026, expressly broadens the concept of a media organisation to include publications of an informative and journalistic nature that disseminate content exclusively via the internet, thereby formally bringing digital media within the sector's legal framework.

The guarantees of press freedom now include «the right to inform and be informed without interference or censorship», «the editorial freedom and freedom to set the news agenda of media organisations» and «the independence of journalists in the exercise of their professional duties, including the right to conscientious objection and professional confidentiality».

The legislation also establishes protection against «any form of pressure, intimidation, persecution or reprisal arising from the exercise of journalistic activity» and ensures that «any administrative, judicial, economic or other measure aimed at arbitrarily restricting or limiting the operation of legally established media organisations» is prohibited.

It further stipulates that public or private entities may only prevent or restrict the collection, circulation, transmission or dissemination of journalistic content in cases expressly provided for by law, and provides for the introduction of a Press Card.

In the business sphere, the new legislation applies the competition law regime to the sector and ensures that «the concentration, by a single entity, of ownership of more than one media organisation belonging to the same category or editorial specialism» is avoided, with a view to preserving «free competition, editorial diversity, impartiality and pluralism of information».

It further stipulates that direct and indirect foreign capital participation «may only amount to a maximum of 35% of the share capital».

All media organisations must now adopt an editorial charter setting out their editorial direction and objectives, while organisations with more than five journalists must have an Editorial Board, and directors and those responsible for editorial and programming matters must be Mozambique nationals, resident in the country and in full possession of their civil and political rights.

With regard to professional rights, the law recognises the right of media professionals to decent working conditions, protection of their physical, moral and psychological integrity, freedom of expression and editorial independence, access to sources of information in the public interest, conscientious objection, professional confidentiality and protection against pressure and reprisals.

Professional confidentiality now receives specific protection, as the law stipulates that media professionals have the right to confidentiality regarding the source of information that is published or broadcast, and that their silence ‘cannot be used against them as a presumption of guilt or an aggravating factor'.

The new legislation establishes rules for the accreditation of foreign correspondents, limits the number of accredited professionals from each foreign media organisation to two, makes prior registration of media organisations mandatory, and strengthens the framework governing the right of reply and correction.

The legislation introduces rules on civil and criminal liability for published or disseminated content, provides for the closure of companies and media organisations operating without registration, and classifies as clandestine any publications made available to the public without complying with the legal requirements for identification.

PVJ/ADB // ADB.

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