National laws in many of the 56 Commonwealth member countries severely impede press freedom and restrict the right to freedom of expression.
That is the damning finding of a research report published on 9 September 2025 by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA), and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
The three Commonwealth Accredited Organisations, whose networks span the globe, have called on all member states, under the mandate provided by Heads of Government at the 2024 CHOGM, to urgently repeal laws that criminalise legitimate public speech.
They also urged decisive action to protect media workers and others who perform a public watchdog role from violence and intimidation.
In a major breakthrough, Commonwealth leaders adopted a landmark set of guidelines on freedom of expression and the media’s role in good governance at their summit in Samoa in October 2024.
That decision followed an eight-year campaign of advocacy and consultation led by grassroots organisations affiliated with the Commonwealth.
The report, Who Controls the Narrative? Legal Restrictions on Freedom of Expression in the Commonwealth, finds that criminal provisions for speech offences, including defamation, sedition, and violations of national security laws, are arbitrarily applied to intimidate and silence journalists, human rights defenders, and government critics.
A key objective, the authors argue, must be to decriminalise defamation laws in 41 Commonwealth countries, many of which impose long prison sentences.
The findings are based on a close analysis of national legal frameworks and draw on testimonies from more than 30 senior journalists and lawyers across Asia, the Pacific, Africa, Europe, and the Americas and Caribbean.
The report concludes that past inaction by the Commonwealth has allowed serious failings in the protection of freedom of expression and the rule of law to become deeply entrenched.
The report urges the Secretariat and member states to act resolutely,together with non-governmental organisations, to ensure observance of the 11-point Commonwealth Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in Good Governance adopted in Samoa.
The Media Principles call on governments to create a safe and enabling environment for media workers, and to review and amend unduly restrictive domestic laws that inhibit free speech both online and offline.
Major findings include:
- 213 journalists were killed in 19 Commonwealth countries between 2006 and 2023, and in 96% of cases perpetrators were not brought to justice (UNESCO).
- 41 Commonwealth countries maintain criminal penalties for defamation; 48 retain laws related to sedition; and 37 have blasphemy-style legislation.
- The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) is urged to address systematic constraints on civil society and the media. It should be reformed and supported by a Commonwealth Envoy on Freedom of Expression.
The CHRI, CJA, and CLA called on the Commonwealth Secretariat and member states to:
- Develop action plans with state and non-state actors to accelerate the repeal of criminal legislation on speech and anti-state offences in line with international best practice.
- Collaborate with civil society and international human rights organisations, including UNESCO, to monitor and support implementation of the Commonwealth Media Principles.
- Prioritise the protection of civil and political rights as a strategic goal across all Commonwealth countries.
“Too many Commonwealth countries continue to enforce colonial-era laws that criminalise speech and silence dissent, in clear violation of their international obligations. The Media Principles adopted in Samoa provide a timely opportunity for member states to take concrete steps, through law reform and institutional safeguards, to protect freedom of expression and align national laws with international human rights standards,” said Sneh Aurora, Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative.
For the Commonwealth Journalists Association, William Horsley added: “The almost complete failure of Commonwealth countries to prosecute those responsible for the killings of more than 200 journalists in 20 years is shameful. This culture of impunity must be swept away. A genuine Commonwealth engagement to protect truth-tellers from threats and reprisals would give the organisation a vital new sense of purpose at a time when the concept of truth is under fierce attack.”
