MISA Zambia expresses its grave concern at the arrest and detention of Daily Nation Newspaper proprietor Richard Sakala, Production editor Simon Mwanza and FODEP Executive director MacDonald Chipenzi over an article that appeared in the Newspaper on Monday.
The offence of publishing false information likely to cause public alarm and despondency in the country contrary to section 67 subsections (i) and (ii) of the penal code cap 87 of the laws of Zambia that Sakala, Mwanza and Chipenzi have been framed with is not only draconian and archaic but retrogressive, colonial and an affront to media freedoms
As MISA, we note that the Daily Nation published the information regarding the secret recruitment from a source and this would not warrant their persecution.
We demand the release of the journalists and that the charges leveled against them be dropped because this we feel this is a threat to Zambia’s democracy, curb freedom of expression and gag the media.
Zambia police should have refuted this claim instead of harassing the media personnel who are supposed to provide checks and balances to the ruling Patriotic Front government.
We appeal to all well- meaning Zambians to rise up and denounce the barbaric and draconian action and therefore challenge government to state its position on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists in the country.
MISA Zambia
Acting Chairperson
Hellen Mwale
12 December 2013
MISA is another bunch of ineffective zombies. rhetolic all the time. nothing will come out of this press statement because you a bunch of maggots. prevention is better than cure. why were you not fighting this archaic law in the first instant before the journalists were arrested.
Check and balances… please arrest that woman too, she must be working for ZWDogs.
Why you include Mcdonald Chipedzi, is a member of MISA? Why are iwe Hellen getting involved with Police investigations? Arrest her too.
Ulichipuba sana we mbwa iwe. why should they arrest her? what do you know about media laws musulaobe iwe?
Since PF came into power journalists have been living in fear.why after 50 years of independence do we have archaic laws.what is the procedure to remove these laws?
Zambia has always been a very backward country! It is gotten unbearable with Sata’s tribal , nepotistic , corrupt and thuggish regime.
It is not just the laws – it is the mindset that is disconcerting. For the first time in a long time kneeling is becoming the norm, nolle prosquis are the order of the day, late delivery of inputs without apology is now acceptable. The laws are just a tip of the iceberg. If we do not have the collective ability to move ourselves forward we will not have the capacity to challenge the backwardness of our laws. Now we have very weird contrasts between a guy kneeling for votes and later being convicted for a misdemeanor that goes contrary to what he stood – ahem, knelt – for!