Monrovia – In recent weeks, concerns have mounted over signs of a growing crackdown on dissenting voices in Liberia, raising fears that the Boakai administration may be undermining the right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the 1986 Constitution.
Article 15 of the Constitution enshrines fundamental rights to freedom of expression, speech, press, and information. It secures the right to hold opinions without interference and to be informed about government affairs, subject to limitations only by judicial action in specific cases, such as libel, defamation, privacy violations, or during a national emergency.
The expulsion of District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah by the House of Representatives, following his comments on the Liberia-Guinea border dispute, has ignited fierce debate about the protection of free speech. Many argue that the process violated Kolubah’s rights to due process and to freely express himself under Liberian law.
Last week, former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf weighed in, questioning Kolubah’s removal and emphasizing that no individual should be expelled from office for exercising free speech. “I don’t think this is the way to go. I don’t think someone should be expelled because of freedom of speech. I upheld the independence of freedom of speech. I don’t think anyone should be overly disturbed when people express their views,” she said.
Her stance echoes that of prominent human rights lawyer and politician Cllr. Tiawon S. Gongloe, who has condemned the action against Kolubah and warned that suppressing dissent risks repeating patterns that led to past civil conflict.
Despite government denials of any erosion of free speech, the latest Press Freedom Index from Reporters Without Borders paints a troubling picture. The organization describes Liberia’s press freedom climate as problematic, a concern highlighted as journalists marked World Press Freedom Day.
Adding to these worries is a proposed amendment to the Kamara Abdullah Kamara (KAK) Act of Press Freedom. At the center of the controversy is the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), which has strongly rejected the draft “Protection from Gender-Based Online Abuse and Harassment Act of 2026.” The PUL contends that the proposal could undermine one of Liberia’s most significant democratic reforms by reintroducing criminal penalties for speech.
The 2019 KAK Act marked a historic shift, repealing criminal statutes like criminal libel against the President, sedition, and criminal malevolence—laws long used to stifle journalists and government critics. Its enactment was lauded internationally as a democratic milestone. Since then, the KAK Act has become central to Liberia’s post-war reforms and press freedom gains.
The new draft law, introduced by Nimba County Representative Nyahn Flomo, seeks to combat online harassment and abusive language on social media. Offenders could face up to two years in prison and fines up to L$500,000.
While supporters argue it’s necessary to address toxic online discourse, especially against women and vulnerable groups, critics warn that its broad language could be weaponized against critics, journalists, and political opponents.
These developments point to troubling signs of a crackdown on dissent, free expression, and press freedom, issues that demand urgent attention from the Boakai administration.
Liberia has made important strides in protecting these rights; as the world marks World Press Freedom Day, it is a timely reminder that freedom of expression and press freedom must remain inviolate under the Constitution.
