Reporters Without Borders demands dropping of charges against Kalaluka
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 21 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT
FRANCE-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has demanded the dropping of charges against Post journalist Mwala Kalaluka and Radio Lyambai assistant station manager Nyambe Muyumbana.
In a press release issued in Paris on Wednesday, Reporters Without Borders condemned the detention of Kalaluka and Muyumbana. The organisation stated that the fact of covering a story did not make the journalist a participant in it.
“Mwala Kalaluka and Nyambe Muyumbana have committed no crime except to give full coverage to the disturbances in Barotseland,” stated Reporters Without Borders. “We demand … the dropping of any possible charges against them.”
Labels: BAROTSELAND AGREEMENT, MWALA KALALUKA, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, THE POST
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Fight for online freedom of expression is crucial - Reporters Without Borders
By Chibaula Silwamba
Fri 12 Mar. 2010, 08:10 CAT
THE fight for online freedom of expression is more essential than ever, France-based Reporters Without Borders has stated. In a message to mark the World Day Against Cyber Censorship which falls this Friday, Reporters Without Borders head of the new media desk Lucie Morillon stated that “The fight for online freedom of expression is more essential than ever. By creating new spaces for exchanging ideas and information, the Internet is a force for freedom. However, more and more governments have realised this and are reacting by trying to control the Internet,” Morillon stated.
“Reporters Without Borders will mark the occasion by issuing its latest list of ‘Enemies of the Internet.’
This list points the finger at countries such as Iran, China, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia that restrict online access and harass their citizens. A list of countries that have been placed ‘under surveillance’ for displaying a disturbing attitude towards the Internet will also be released.”
Labels: INTERNET, PRESS FREEDOM, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS
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Continued intimidation of journalists worries RSF
Written by Chibaula Silwamba
Sunday, August 16, 2009 4:02:39 PM
FRANCE-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has expressed dismay at the continued intimidation and violence against journalists in Zambia.
In a media statement issued in Paris, France on Friday, Reporters Without Borders denounced the recent intrusion into Radio Sky FM studio and newsroom by a stranger and death threats on Monitor and Digest reporter, Roy Habaalu.
“Such behaviour is unacceptable,” Reporters Without Borders stated. “The constant death threats against independent journalists and attempts to intimidate them must stop. We urge the authorities to take whatever measures are necessary to protect journalists and allow them to do their work.”
Reporters Without Borders stated that Habaalu received a threatening call on July 31, 2009 following the publication of his story about corruption at Western Province administration.
“The anonymous caller advised him to leave the region if he wanted to stay alive. That night, Habaalu heard a loud hammering on his door just after he went to bed. When he looked out, he saw six masked men with knives and steel bars banging on the door and shouting that he should leave the country before he was killed,” Reporters Without Borders stated.”Habaalu told Reporters Without Borders he believed his assailants worked for who had been verbally aggressive towards him during an interview four days before the incident.”
It stated that in the latest incident, a supporter of President Rupiah Banda burst into the studios of radio Sky FM in Monze at night on August 10, 2009 and began smashing the computers and broadcast equipment in the editorial office and three journalists present were so alarmed by his behaviour that they fled.
Last week, police arrested a man identified as Musenge Chibwili, who invaded Sky FM in Monze and forcibly taking over control of operations.
Chibwili denounced the MMD government and President Banda for failing to shut down media institutions in Zambia like Sky FM and The Post, which he claimed insult the head of state.
Labels: JOURNALISM, MMD, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, ROY HABAALU, RUPIAH BANDA
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Publicly express commitment to press freedom, Reporters without Borders urge Rupiah
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe, Mwila Chansa and Jane Mwakasungula
Saturday, August 01, 2009 3:23:12 PM
REPORTERS Without Borders have urged President Rupiah Banda to use the incident where MMD cadres physically attacked journalists to publicly express his commitment to press freedom and to ensure that it is better respected from now on. And Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Stephen Lungu has condemned the continued attacks on journalists by MMD cadres.
Wednesday at the airport where Post and Times of Zambia journalists who went to cover President Banda were physically attacked, Reporters Without Borders deplored the incident.
They stated that the facts of incident were not disputed by President Banda, who condemned the assault.
"The President's comments are reassuring, but apologies are not enough and concrete measures are now needed," the organisation stated. "Sanctions must be adopted against the MMD supporters, who often attack journalists. We urge President Banda to take the opportunity offered by this unfortunate incident to publicly express his commitment to press freedom and to ensure that it is better respected from now on."
And Lungu said attacks on journalists should not be tolerated in a democratic country such as Zambia.
"As LAZ, we join the good meaning citizens in condemning the unwarranted attacks on journalists. Being a democratic country, we believe such violence should not be tolerated," Lungu said.
Lungu said journalists needed to enjoy a certain level of independence in the dispensation of their duties and that action should be taken against all the perpetrators of violence against journalists.
Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) said the harassment of journalists by political parties in the country had reached worrying levels and was a sign of lack of tolerance among political stakeholders especially the ruling party.
"Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) wishes to strongly condemn the continued harassment and intimidation of journalists by the MMD cadres. FODEP will not stand by and allow the destruction of the very pillars of democratic governance that we exist to promote because a democratic nation with no media freedom and a conducive operating environment for free expression is no democracy at all," said the organisation's executive director Elijah Rubvuta.
He reminded the MMD that journalists were the light and the voice of the masses in any democratic society as they reveal, through their reporting, hidden socio-economic and political mayhem that those in authority may not want to reveal for fear of losing their grip to power.
Rubvuta reminded political parties especially the ruling MMD and the police that one of the resolutions of 1993 World Conference on Human Rights was the demand for "increased involvement of the media for whom freedoms and protection should be guaranteed within the framework of the national law."
"The responsibility of protecting the physical security of everyone in Zambia including journalists rests with the government through the Police Service. It is therefore, appalling to note, as in this case that in a country like Zambia which has been renowned for being a pioneer of peaceful transition to multiparty democracy, journalists can be harassed by party cadres in the presence of the police officers and senior party leaders and go scot-free! Such levels of intolerance in political parties, especially MMD is very retrogressive, and we expect the party to rise to the occasion and put an end to this," he said.
He advised the police in the country to execute their duties in a professional manner and avoid being partisan because once they become political, it would be difficult for them to guarantee all Zambians security.
Rubvuta said the political parties and the police should be reminded about the importance of allowing journalists to go about their work unimpeded despite the alleged biased reporting.
"FODEP wishes to encourage journalists to remain steadfast and to understand their role and calling. They should bear in mind that sometimes violent campaigns will be carried out against journalists trying to report honestly and accurately," Rubvuta said.
And the International Fellowship of Christian Churches (IFCC) charged that President Banda had introduced barbaric politics by allowing his thugs to continue harrassing Post journalists.
IFCC president Bishop Simon Chihana urged President Banda to strongly condemn the practice, saying he should work towards continuing his predecessor's legacy of embracing and respecting the media.
Bishop Chihana said President Banda's silence on the practice was an indication that pepertrators had his blessings.
"The continued harassment is communicating a language of going back to the UNIP regime. People have nothing to do with violence in this era. Why can't he emulate his predecessor's stance towards the plight of journalists? He is barbaric and I am upset," he said.
Bishop Chihana said President Banda was practicing politics of poverty in a civilised society.
He urged African leaders to stop cadres from welcoming them whenever they attended official functions.
"I also urge other African leaders to stop encouraging cadres from welcoming them at airports or other official functions because America does not tolerate that," Bishop Chihana said.
And Zambia United Christian Action (ZUCA) Bishop John Jere said the country could not encourage brutality.
"It is his [President Banda] duty to protect citizens just like it is my duty to protect my flock from any forms of harassment," said Bishop Jere.
Last Wednesday, Post journalist Chibaula Silwamba was slapped and roughed up by MMD cadres at the airport where he went to cover the arrival of President Banda from Uganda.
Labels: REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, RUPIAH BANDA
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CPJ describes obscenity charge slapped on Kabwela as bogus
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Friday, July 17, 2009 5:23:32 AM
COMMITTEE to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has described the obscenity charge slapped on Post news editor Chansa Kabwela as bogus.
And Reporters Without Borders have described Kabwela's arrest as shocking and the grounds ridiculous.
According to a statement issued in New York on Wednesday, CPJ Africa programme coordinator Tom Rhodes stated that the arrest of Kabwela on bogus charges of circulating obscene materials was alarming.
"The only obscenity in this case is that a child should die outside a hospital for want of proper care," Rhodes said. "The charges against Chansa Kabwela should be dropped immediately, and the ongoing harassment of her newspaper by the authorities must end."
According to latest CPJ research, The Post, which is known to be a tough critic of the President, detailing corruption allegations involving the administration on a regular basis had been targeted with reprisals.
CPJ stated that the ruling MMD supporters had threatened Post staff, including vendors of the paper, on six occasions in the first five months of 2009.
CPJ is an independent, non-profit organisation that was founded in 1981. The organisation, which is headquartered in New York, promotes press freedom worldwide by defending the rights of journalists to report news without fear of reprisal.
And Reporters Without Borders yesterday noted that it was outraged to learn of Kabwela’s arrest on July 13 on a charge of "distributing obscene materials", namely photos of a woman giving birth in a hospital car park.
"Kabwela's arrest is shocking and the grounds are ridiculous. We urge the government to withdraw these absurd charges. Kabwela is clearly innocent because she made a point of not publishing these photos. She just sent them to certain government officials and NGOs," Reporters Without Borders stated. "The photographs are anyway not pornographic. Their aim was to alert the authorities to a public health problem. This episode is just another case of the government obstructing this newspaper's work."
Reporters Without Borders observed that The Post, the country's leading independent newspaper, was being hounded by the authorities.
"Reporters Without Borders is aware of at least six cases of members of its staff being physically or verbally attacked by leaders of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy since the start of the year," the statement read in part.
Reporters Without Borders was founded in 1985 to among other things, defend journalists and media assistants imprisoned or persecuted for doing their job and exposes the mistreatment and torture of them in many countries, to fight against censorship and laws that undermine press freedom.
The organisation, which is registered in France as a non-profit making organisation, is present on all the five continents and has consultant status at the United Nations.
Labels: CHANSA KABWELA, COURTS, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, THE POST
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Charges against Post news editor are shocking and ridiculous – Reporters Without Borders
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Friday, July 17, 2009 5:21:03 AM
GLOBAL press freedom organizations have urged the government to withdraw pornography charges against Post news editor Chansa Kabwela, with Reporters Without Borders describing the charge as shocking and ridiculous.
In a statement obtained yesterday, Reporters Without Borders observed that it was outraged to learn that Kabwela was arrested on 13 July on a charge of “distributing obscene materials”, namely photos of a woman giving birth in a hospital car park.
“Kabwela’s arrest is shocking and the grounds are ridiculous. We urge the government to withdraw these absurd charges. Kabwela is clearly innocent because she made a point of not publishing these photos. She just sent them to certain government officials and NGOs,” Reporters Without Borders stated.
“The photographs are anyway not pornographic. Their aim was to alert the authorities to a public health problem. This episode is just another case of the government obstructing this newspaper’s work.”
Reporters Without Borders observed that The Post, the country’s leading independent newspaper was being hounded by the authorities.
“Reporters Without Borders is aware of at least six cases of members of its staff being physically or verbally attacked by leaders of the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy since the start of the year,” the statement read in part.
And in a separate statement, issued in New York last Wednesday, CPJ’s Africa programme coordinator Tom Rhodes stated that the arrest of Kabwela on what he termed “bogus charges” of circulating obscene materials was alarming.
“The only obscenity in this case is that a child should die outside a hospital for want of proper care,” said Rhodes.
“The charges against Chansa Kabwela should be dropped immediately, and the ongoing harassment of her newspaper by the authorities must end.”
According to latest CPJ research, The Post which is known to be a tough critic of the President, detailing corruption allegations involving the administration on a regular basis had been targeted with reprisals.
CPJ research stated the ruling MMD supporters have threatened Post staff, including vendors of the paper, on six occasions in the first five months of 2009.
Labels: CHANSA KABWELA, COURTS, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS, THE POST
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Reporters Without Borders accuses public officials of cowardice, dupli
By Bivan Saluseki
Friday February 15, 2008 [03:00]
REPORTERS Without Borders has accused public officials around the world of "impotence, cowardice and duplicity" in defending freedom of expression. In its 2008 report released yesterday, the organisation stated that African "predators" of press freedom had also not yet given up in suppressing press freedom. Secretary general Robert Ménard said the spinelessness of some Western countries and major international bodies was harming press freedom.
"The lack of determination by democratic countries in defending the values they supposedly stand for is alarming," said Menard.
For Africa, the report stated that men in power who were believed to be above all suspicion had demonstrated that journalists were not always free on the continent.
"This includes leaders who were thought to have been convinced of the benefits that can accrue to a poor country from a diversity of news, from harnessing public debate, public transparency and the vigilance of demanding citizens," it stated.
The report stated that freedom of the press in Africa was badly damaged in 2007 and on at least twelve occasions during the year, some people received orders to kill journalists.
"African journalists - perpetually facing charges of defamation, publication of false news, damaging imputations, insulting the head of state, harming national security, sedition, incitement to disturb the public order or who knows what - have to manage their own cases alone.
Innocent or guilty, they have experienced the filth of a prison cell. Their families, whose chief characteristic is not to be rich, have to manage on their own resources while their breadwinner is unable to earn money," it stated.
The report stated that African media, like a crumbling dam, had taken in water.
"Taboos have been proudly broken.
A host of questions which are vital for the future of press freedom on the continent remain unanswered after this very testing year," it stated.
The report stated that across the continent, chiefly in the French-speaking part, there were numerous scandal sheets, which fed on ordinary corruption, chasing spectacular headlines and little envelopes.
"But the politicians, from Madagascar to Mauritania, from Guinea to Cameroon, via Cote d'Ivoire and the Central African Republic, are the main beneficiaries, making use of badly or unpaid journalists to settle their scores with opponents through bogus revelations. They do it because they have the means to do so and they can get way with it. Disgrace and prison are for others. Absurd logic, unjust justice," it stated.
The report includes press freedom abuse in the DRC, Somalia and Ethiopia, among others.
Labels: FREEDOM OF SPEECH, REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS
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