Articles by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Opposition leader threatens to ban reporters in election campaign
(MISA/IFEX) – A provincial leader of the main Mozambican opposition party Renamo, Manuel Pereira, has threatened to ban the Mozambican press from covering Renamo in the current general election campaign. Quoted in the daily “Diario de Mocambique”, Pereira, who is leader of Renamo in Sofala province, claimed that the media were distorting the truth about […]
Detained journalist denied bail
(MISA/IFEX) – On 26 October 1999, the Angolan attorney general (A.G.) officially refused a bail application by detained journalist Rafael Marques. No further information is available on the reasons for the refusal, and according to Angolan law, Marques can be held in detention for fifteen days without being brought to trial. The authorities have also […]
Journalist remains in detention, procedural irregularities surround his continued detention
(MISA/IFEX) – Journalist Rafael Marques, who was arrested at his home on 16 October 1999, remains in incommunicado detention in Luanda. Neither his lawyer or relatives have been allowed access to him since his detention and it is believed that he is on hunger strike. **Updates IFEX alerts of 20 October, 19 October and 18 […]
Church group to sue newspaper over articles
(MISA/IFEX) – The Tanzanian Christian Revival (TCR) organisation is to sue the weekly religious newspaper “Msemakweli” for defamation, reports the “Guardian” newspaper. The TCR is seeking 300 million Tanzania shillings (US$37,500) in damages for several articles published by the newspaper. “Msemakweli” is published by the Word and Pentecostal Organisations (WAPO) in Dar es Salaam. The […]
MISA protests defamation charge against journalist, detention
(MISA/IFEX) – On Saturday 16 October 1999, journalist Rafael Marques, who is also the coordinator of the Angolan office of the Open Society Initiative in Southern Africa, was arrested at dawn at his home in the capital Luanda by officers from the Department of National Criminal Investigations (DNIC). **Updates IFEX alert of 18 October 1999** […]
Editor released, further information on harassment of independent journalists
(MISA/IFEX) – MISA has confirmed that “Folha 8” editor William Tonet was released on bail of 2.2 billion Kwanzas Reajustados (US$500) by the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (DNIC) on 4 October 1999. Tonet embarked on a hunger strike shortly after his arrest in the early hours of 2 October for “speculation and fiscal evasion”. **Updates […]
Concern over new legislation which threatens media freedom and freedom of expression
(MISA/IFEX) – MISA is concerned about two pieces of legislation which may adversely affect media freedom and freedom of expression in Namibia. The two bills, the Diamond Bill and the Namibia Film Commission Bill, are in different stages of legislative approval but could be enacted at the latest before the end of the year. The […]
Leading magazine to close down, setback for media pluralism
(MISA/IFEX) – On 29 September 1999, the shareholders of the Zimbabwean media group Public Eye Publishing (PEP), publishers of “Horizon” and other magazines, filed for liquidation, citing financial and viability problems. The shareholders had agreed a month earlier to liquidate the company and its workers were subsequently sent on leave pending further decisions by the […]