(MISA/IFEX) – The government is being sued over its decision to ban government advertising in two private newspapers that are critical of its policies, one of the newspapers reported on Tuesday 12 June 2001. According to reports by the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), “The Guardian” and the “Midweek Sun” lodged an urgent application in […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The government is being sued over its decision to ban government advertising in two private newspapers that are critical of its policies, one of the newspapers reported on Tuesday 12 June 2001.
According to reports by the Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN), “The Guardian” and the “Midweek Sun” lodged an urgent application in the High Court to have the bans overturned. IRIN quotes the “Midweek Sun” as saying that the case is to be heard Thursday 14 June, in the town of Lobatse, seventy km north of the capital city, Gaborone.
BACKGROUND:
The two newspapers have been overtly critical of the government, particularly President Festus Mogae and Vice President Ian Khama. Last month, “The Guardian” was leaked an anonymous letter that instructed government departments and allied private companies not to advertise in the two papers. No government minister has taken responsibility for issuing the instruction. However, Molosiwa Selepeng, Mogae’s permanent secretary, confirmed that the ban had indeed been put into effect for economic reasons.
More information on this case is available at www.misa.org.na
