8 June 2010

Alert

Newspaper editor released after spending three days in prison


Incident details

Release

Fred M'membe, Editor

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(RSF/IFEX) - "I would like to thank everybody for the support that I have been given since Friday and before that," "The Post" editor Fred M'membe told Reporters Without Borders as he was released on 7 June 2010 from Lusaka prison, where he had just spent three days.

"I am very grateful to my fellow journalists," said M'membe, who was sentenced to four months in prison with hard labour on 4 June on a contempt of court charge. "I have received more than the support I thought I would get and I deserve."

M'membe was granted a conditional release pending the outcome of his appeal. He was clearly shocked by his jail experience. "Our prisoners are treated like animals," he said. "Our pigs, chickens, dogs sleep much better than prisoners."


Source:

Reporters Without Borders
47, rue Vivienne
75002 Paris
France
rsf (@) rsf.org
Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
 

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More on this case

Newspaper editor receives heavy sentence 7 June 2010 "The Post" editor-in-chief charged with contempt of court 23 November 2009 Court throws out Chansa Kabwela obscenity case 17 November 2009 "The Post" editorial staff face six months in prison on contempt charge after op-ed in paper by Ivy League professor 1 September 2009 Bogus charges filed against "Post" reporter 16 July 2009 Police warn editor about photo distribution 9 July 2009

Zambia

Harassment by US embassy security prompts boycott threat by local journalists 14 December 2011 Journalists assaulted 2 December 2011 Government pledges to implement freedom of information bill 28 November 2011 Journalist concerned over false reports of his arrest 7 October 2011 Injunction on private media houses lifted 26 September 2011 See all alerts: Zambia


 
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