Articles by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Journalists arrested for criminal defamation
On the morning of 23 February 2000, Andy Moyse,the acting editor of the “Standard”, reporter Chengetayi Zvauya and managing director Clive Wilson were arrested for criminal defamation over a story which appeared on 30 January. The story claimed that the government-sponsored draft constitution was printed in September 1999, long before the Constitutional Commission’s outreach programme […]
Detained journalist expresses fear his life, medical treatment denied, number of visits curtailed
**Updates IFEX alerts of 11 and 2 February and 19 January 2000** (MISA/IFEX) – Detained journalist Andre Domingos Mussamo, who has been in detention in Cuanza Norte province for eighty-four days, has expressed fear for his life, while there is also concern about his health. According to a letter from Mussamo that was smuggled out […]
Journalist barred from leaving the country
(MISA/IFEX) – Journalist Rafael Marques has been barred from travelling to Washington, D.C. (USA) to attend a conference. Marques told MISA that he had requested permission from a judge to travel to Washington but his request was verbally turned down. Several other journalists were also previously harassed by being barred from leaving the country. These […]
Photojournalist detained
(MISA/IFEX) – On 16 February 2000, Zanzibar police detained photojournalist Athuman Hamisi of “The Guardian” for allegedly taking photos of the national leaders of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party at the party’s subhead office in Zanzibar. The police confiscated Hamisi’s camera and detained him for interrogation for three hours, after which the assistant […]
Journalists detained and interrogated, videotape confiscated
(MISA/IFEX) – On 18 February 2000, Angolan police briefly detained and interrogated two journalists from the Portuguese state television service for Africa, RTP-Africa. The two journalists, reporter Alves Fernandes and camera operator Jose Amorim, were covering preparations for a demonstration called by the Partido de Apoio Democratico e Progresso de Angola (PADPA) party, in protest […]
Minister accuses media of abusing press freedom
(MISA/IFEX) – The minister of information and broadcasting services, Newstead Zimba, has alleged that the independent media in Zambia exercises “abuse of press freedom and other fundamental freedoms.” Speaking in a 17 February 2000 parliamentary debate, he also denounced the proliferation of media organisations representing different sections of the media, saying this was “unhealthy and […]
Newspaper group closed down, political dissident arrested while protesting, youth congress disrupted by police
On 17 February 2000, the board of directors of the Swazi Observer group of papers announced that the paper was being shut down. Chairman of the Board Timothy Nhleko called in the entire staff and in a one-minute address announced that the paper was being closed immediately and that everyone should vacate the premises. In […]
Zanzibar government threatens correspondent with legal action
(MISA/IFEX) – On 10 February 2000, the Zanzibar government threatened to take legal action against Press Services Tanzania correspondent Mwinyi Sadallah. Sadallah published a 3 February story in the Kiswahili paper “Nipashe” claiming that the Zanzibar Government Press had started publishing a bill that would allow President Salmin Amour to run for a third term. […]