18 February 2003
MISA ALARMED AT PRESS-FREEDOM SITUATION
The Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) has expressed concern over the "fluctuating state" of press freedom in southern Africa, saying positive developments over the past 18 months have been overshadowed by numerous violations in countries such as Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
The press-freedom group noted positive developments in Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana, including the heavy sentences recently handed down for the murder of Mozambique journalist Carlos Cardoso and the creation of an independent self-regulatory press council in Botswana.
However, in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, there is concern about "reports of attacks on newspaper vendors by organised thugs and political vigilante groups in attempts to muzzle the media and deny access to information," MISA says.
In Zimbabwe, the state of press freedom and free expression is rapidly deteriorating, MISA notes, pointing to the ongoing harassment and intimidation of journalists and the "continued and selective application of legislation against the private and independent media."
See MISA's alerts on free expression: www.misa.org">http://www.misa.org/ac_al.html">www.misa.org
Visit these links:
- Committee to Protect Journalists Report: www.cpj.org">http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2002/Zim_july02/Zim_july02.html">www.cpj.org
- International PEN's 2002 Zimbabwe Campaign: www.pen.org">http://www.pen.org/freedom/bulletin/november.htm#zimbabwe">www.pen.org
- Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe: www.mmpz.org.zw">http://www.mmpz.org.zw">www.mmpz.org.zw
- Digital Freedom Network: http://dfn.org
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