Maravi

PFC condemns harassment of journalists

PFC condemns harassment of journalists
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Tue 18 Jan. 2011, 03:59 CAT

NO democratic society can function without the basic principle of a safe working environment for journalists, according to the Press Freedom Committee (PFC) of The Post.

Commenting on the harassment of Post journalist George Zulu and photojournalist Collins Phiri by intelligence officers and former president Frederick Chiluba respectively, PFC chairperson Chansa Kabwela expressed disappointment with Chiluba’s threats against journalists who attempted to cover him on Saturday.

Kabwela also condemned intelligence officers who grabbed a recorder from Zulu and deleted all the information recorded at a public meeting addressed by Vice-President George Kunda.

“Threats such as those Mr Chiluba made against The Post photojournalist, Collins Phiri do not only affect the wellbeing of the individual journalists but also compromise the public’s right to receive accurate and factual information,” she said.

Kabwela said threatening journalists over some pictures or simple questions was unacceptable.

“This is clear affront to press freedom and generally the freedom of expression. We are deeply disturbed about this occurrence because we believe that any threats against journalists, whether physical or verbal, must be strongly condemned,” she said.

She expressed concern that the government was now using security agencies to harass journalists, especially those from the privately owned media institutions.

Kabwela said this was clear intimidation and should not be tolerated in a democratic society like Zambia.

She said journalists do not need any permission from the security agencies to collect information from various sources – be it from those serving in government, civil society, opposition political parties, the church and others.

“We wish to urge Vice-President (George) Kunda to take special interest in this matter and discipline the officer, unless he was operating on instructions from him to harass and intimidate Zulu,” said Kabwela.

Chiluba on Saturday threatened to smash a Post camera when Phiri photographed him viewing the building that should have been his institute for democratic studies, while an intelligence officer in Vice-President Kunda’s entourage last Friday harassed Zulu before deleting information on his recorder.

Labels: GEORGE ZULU, PFC, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 5:41 PM