The Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) has strongly opposed recent calls by the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) for the implementation of a professional licensing system for journalists in Liberia.
ALJA has warned that such a measure poses a grave threat to press freedom, free speech, and democratic governance in the country.
During the Press Union of Liberia’s (PUL) 61st anniversary celebration on October 1, 2025, LNBA Secretary-General, Bornor V. Forkeyoh, advocated for a licensing regime for journalists in Liberia.
In a release, ALJA warned that while it recognizes the importance of professionalism and accountability in journalism, the licensing of journalists would endanger freedom of the press and free speech, opening the door to censorship and political interference. “Licensing journalists undermines constitutional rights and creates opportunities for silencing independent voices,” the President of ALJA, Joey Kennedy, said. “Journalism must remain free from restrictive licensing schemes that can be misused to erode democracy.”
ALJA said Journalism, unlike medicine or law, is a pillar of democracy rooted in the constitutional right to free expression and the free flow of information and that any attempt to license journalists risk silencing independent voices, stifling dissent, and eroding the watchdog role of the press.
“Licensing journalists is a slippery slope toward state control of the media and an assault on Liberia’s hard-won democratic freedoms,” ALJA said in a statement. The President of the US Based Liberian organization Joey Kennedy stressed that Professional standards in journalism are best advanced through training, ethical codes, and self-regulation, not through restrictive licensing schemes that can easily be abused to silence critical reporting.”
ALJA called on the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), civil society, and international partners to reject any attempt to institute licensing requirements for journalists. The organization reaffirms its commitment to supporting initiatives that promote ethical journalism, strengthen media capacity, and protect the independence of the press.
The Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing press freedom, promoting professional journalism, and advocating for good governance and accountability in Liberia.