Zambia
"Zambian authorities continue harassing independent media"

afrol.com, 14 July - A new report from ARTICLE 19, released as the World Bank's consultative group on Zambia prepares to meet in Lusaka, describes the Zambian authorities' continuing harassment of the independent media and other critics, and their failure to reform laws which threaten media freedom. 

Andrew Puddephatt, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19, said: "Last year, the Zambian government promised donors that there would be a review and reform of laws which violate freedom of expression. There have still not been any concrete results. We are concerned that, in the absence of adequate legal and institutional safeguards to protect and promote freedom of expression, official harrassment of the media and other critics will intensify during the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections, which are due in 2001." 

In 1997, the consultative group agreed to take into account the "governance performance" of the Zambian government when deciding whether to provide balance of payments support to the country. Since that time, some members of the group have withheld balance of payments support because of the government's poor human rights record. 

As long ago as 1992, a government-appointed Media Reform Committee identified at least 26 laws which were inconsistent with freedom of expression and press freedom. ARTICLE 19 urges donors to press the Zambian Government to implement the recommendations of the Committee, rather than allow the authorities further to stall the reform process by starting an apparently wholly new review process.

Andrew Puddephatt added: "Eleven journalists from the independent newspaper, The Post, have had politically-motivated espionage charges hanging over them for the past year. ARTICLE 19 does not believe that any relaxation of the consultative group's position would be justified."

Source: Article 19

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