Articles by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
Journalist harassed over story
(MISA/IFEX) – Police at the Dar es Salaam central police station held journalist Fred Okumu for some two hours on 15 June 1999 and tried to force him to reveal the source of a story which appeared in the “Daily Mail” that same day. Okumu had penned an article reporting on alleged overcrowding at the […]
Police commander sentenced for detaining reporter
(MISA/IFEX) – “A court in the northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado has found a local police commander guilty of illegally detaining reporter Fernando Quinova in December 1998, and has sentenced the commander to six months imprisonment, reports the Mozambican News Agency, AIM.” **Updates IFEX alerts of 11 May, 12 April, 10 March, 9 March, […]
Journalists file civil and criminal charges against police and army
(MISA/IFEX) – Journalists Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto, whose medical reports confirmed that they had been tortured while in military detention earlier this year, have formally laid civil and criminal charges against the police and military. **Updates IFEX alerts of 11 May, 15 March, 24 February, 12 February, 11 February, 10 February, 9 February, 3 […]
Journalist assaulted
(MISA/IFEX) – “Daily Times” sports reporter Pilirani Kachinziri was assaulted on 22 May 1999 by a Telcom Wanderers Football team fan for allegedly writing negative stories about Wanderers official Jack Kamwendo and National team coach Jack Chamangwana. A report in the “Daily Times” said that Kachinziri was attacked at half-time during the Cosafa Castle Cup […]
Court issues injunction against paper
(MISA/IFEX) – A High Court injunction on 24 May 1999 restrained the pro-opposition Malawi Congress Party newspaper “National Agenda” from writing articles about a ruling party top official and her husband. Judge Maxon Mkandawire ruled that the paper should stop publishing articles about deputy campaign director for the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) Mary Nyandovi-Kerr […]
Newspaper stalls threat of injunction from civil servant
(MISA/IFEX) – On 26 May 1999, Botswana’s deputy attorney general, Abedenego Batshani Tafa, declined to proceed with a threatened injunction against “Mmegi” newspaper following assurances from the paper that he was not being mentioned in the latest edition. On 25 May, Tafa threatened to bring an injunction against the paper after apparently being privy to […]
First independent radio station licensed
(MISA/IFEX) – The first-ever independent radio station license issued in Botswana has been granted to Yarona FM, reports the South African Press Association (SAPA) news agency. The move has broken a thirty-three-year government monopoly on broadcasting in Botswana. Yarona FM will broadcast within a 40 km radius of the capital, Gaborone. General Manager Moraki Mokgasana […]
Politician awarded damages in libel suit
(MISA/IFEX) – On 21 May 1999, the Lusaka High Court awarded the secretary general of Zambia’s National Party (NP), Ludwig Sondashi, K30 million (US$12,000) in damages, in a case in which he sued the now-defunct “Sun” weekly newspaper. HASH(0x8a57554)