30 July 2008

Alert

Journalist covering protest manhandled by political party militants, his camera confiscated


Incident details

Mohapi Moeketsi

photographer(s)

harassed
(MISA/IFEX) - On 27 July 2008, "Public Eye" photographer Mohapi Moeketsi was manhandled by All Basotho Convention (ABC) party supporters in Rothe constituency. The party militants confiscated the journalist's camera and shoved him about.

The photographer had gone to Rothe to cover a protest by the ABC supporters, who were holding Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) personnel hostage, protesting that the results of the 26 July election should not be announced until alleged irregularities in the electoral process had been addressed.

ABC party officers claimed that among the irregularities was the absence of objection forms at polling stations on polling day. They claimed they had protested and brought their grievances to the IEC officials, but that their concerns had fallen on deaf ears. The agents also allege that they saw a car with an IEC sticker carrying extra ballots to the polling station.

The photographer suffered no serious injuries during the incident.



Source

Media Institute of Southern Africa
21 Johann Albrecht Street
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek
Namibia
director (@) misa.org
Phone: +264 61 232975
Fax: +264 61 248016
 

Lesotho

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