MISA is deeply concerned by numerous reports of threats to journalists by politicians.
(MISA/IFEX) – 10 May 2012 – The Zambia Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zambia) would like to urge political parties to refrain their supporters and security officials from physically and verbally attacking journalists.
We further wish to urge the leadership of all political parties to sensitize their supporters and security officials on the need to have cordial relations with media practitioners in order to prevent physical and verbal attacks on journalists as they undertake their duty of informing the nation.
We are deeply concerned by numerous reports we are receiving from journalists across the country of threats by some politicians on journalists because such a hostile environment will create fear in media practitioners who do not have the privilege of moving with bodyguards.
This trend, if not corrected, will impact negatively both on our growing democracy and good governance as the press is the main platform for citizens’ participation, a source of access to information and a watchdog for society.
MISA-Zambia is disturbed by one recorded verbal threat to the media that took place on Wednesday, 25 April 2012 in Southern Province and an alleged physical attack and verbal abuse on a media practitioner around 10:00hrs on Tuesday, 8 May 2012 in Lusaka.
The 8 May 2012 incident, in which a reporter from Joy FM Radio is reported to have been punched in the chest once, roughed up and verbally abused by a suspected bodyguard of the United Party for National Development (UPND) president, Hakainde Hichilema, who leads one of the leading opposition political parties in Zambia, occurred when the journalist went to cover a joint meeting of some opposition politicians and the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
The reporter disclosed to MISA-Zambia chairperson Daniel Sikazwe, who went to visit him on Wednesday 9 May 2012 at his radio station, that he had been invited via a text message on his mobile phone by a senior Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) official to cover the meeting that was scheduled to take place at the ZCTU Offices.
MISA-Zambia wishes to urge all politicians wishing to invite journalists to joint meetings to inform all participants of such meetings of any intentions or decisions to invite journalists to such meetings to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and possible attacks.
Finally, MISA-Zambia wishes to encourage all journalists to immediately report any physical abuse to the nearest police station in order to ensure that culprits are brought to book.
