Type of Legislation and Specific Law or Section Scope of Law Enforcement Mali (West Africa) Disinformation: Loi 00-046 du 7 juillet 2000 portant régime de la presse et délit de presse Article 37 criminalizes the dissemination of news that is false or falsely attributed to third parties when it is done in bad faith and disturbs the public peace. It also covers false information that is likely to undermine the discipline or morale of the armed forces. Violation may result in imprisonment of between eleven days to six months, or a fine of 50,000 to 150,000 CFA francs, or both. Mauritius (southern Africa) Against falsehoods: The Criminal Code (Supplementary Act) Cap. 196 The Information and Communication Technologies Act (ICT Act) 2001 Section 299 of the Criminal Code makes it an offense to publish, diffuse, or reproduce false news or news which, though true in substance, has been altered in one or more parts or falsely attributed to some other person if it stands to disturb public order or public peace. Section 46(g) of the ICT Act makes it an offense to knowingly send, transmit, or cause to be transmitted a false or fraudulent message. Section 46(ga) makes it an offense to disseminate any message which is obscene, indecent, abusive, threatening, false or misleading or which is likely to cause or cause annoyance, humiliation, inconvenience, distress or anxiety to any person. Violation of Section 299 of the Criminal Code may be punished by imprisonment for up to one year and a fine not exceeding 10,000 Mauritian rupees when committed verbally. An individual may be punished by imprisonment for up to one year and a fine of between 20,000 and 50,000 rupees if the offense was committed by any written means. Section 47(1) of the ICT Act indicates that a violation will result in a fine not exceeding 1 million rupees and imprisonment of up to ten years. Section 47(2) further provides that the court may order additional punishments such as forfeiture of property and cancellation or suspension of licenses. Mozambique (southern Africa) Disinformation: The Penal Code (35/2014) Articles 398(2)(a) and (b) of the Penal Code provide for an offense of disturbing public order or attempting to do so. They cover the instigation or provocation of collective disobedience against the laws of public order or essential public functions, or any attempt to disturb public order or peace by any means. This is qualified by adding that such an offense may be compounded by publishing false or biased news which may cause alarm or unrest, or distributing or attempting to distribute written material which may lead to the same result. Violation of Article 398 will result in imprisonment for up to six months and a corresponding fine. Article 399 provides for additional punishments for accessories to the crime, which include prohibition or suspension of the exercise of certain functions, and confiscation of property or dissolution of business for legal entities. Namibia (southern Africa) Legislation related to Covid-19: Regulations published under Proclamation No. 9 of March 28, 2020 (as amended) Regulation 16 makes it an offense to publish any false or misleading statement about or in connection with Covid-19, or any statement that is intended to deceive any other person about the Covid-19 status of any person, or measures to combat, prevent, and suppress Covid-19. Violation of Regulation 16 may result in a fine of 2,000 Namibian dollars and up to six months in prison. Niger (West Africa) Cybercrime: Cybercrime Law, 2019 Article 31 broadly criminalizes the dissemination of false news. It covers false information which is likely to disturb public order or infringe upon human dignity. I N FO R M ATI O N D I SO R D ER IN THE GLOBA L SOUTH Violation may result in a fine of between 1 million and 5 million CFA francs, and imprisonment of between six months and three years. Sub -Saharan Africa – 1 82