PROMOTING FREE EXPRESSION IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
On 24 March 2017 the Minister of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Dr Christopher Mushohwe met with editors to ‘discuss’ the media’s reportage of political events unraveling in the country. While the minister, as is the case with every other citizen, is entitled to his opinions pertaining to the coverage of events, he should not seek to dictate to the media on what it should...
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The MISA Zimbabwe 2016 Annual report is a catalogue of MISA-Zimbabwe’s footprints on the organisation’s strategic interventions towards realisation of its vision of a Zimbabwe in which every person enjoys their rights to freedom of expression, access to information and privacy of communication as well as access to all forms of media that are independent from undue political, economic and commercial interests, coming to fruition....
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The MISA Zambia Media Awards are an annual event which honour journalists, individuals and institutions that have made a significant contribution towards the advancement of media freedom and access to information in Zambia. The awards were established in 2002 to honour people and organisations that have made a mark in ensuring that the country’s democracy grows through entrenchment of values of freedom of expression and...
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MISA Zambia welcomes the pronouncement by Justice Minister Given Lubinda at the 2017 Universal Periodic Review that the Access to Information bill is ready and that government is working on systems that will readily avail the information to the public. The enactment of the ATI bill is long overdue as it has stalled since 2002 when it was presented to parliament, with successive governments-including the...
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MISA Malawi is disturbed by news of the closure this morning of Blantyre Printing and Publishing Company (Times Group) offices by the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) over unpaid taxes. While MISA Malawi does not condone default on taxes, we strongly believe that the closure of Times Group is ill-timed and can easily be construed as an attempt by government to stop the media house from...
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It is with great sorrow that the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) learned of the passing on November 2, 2016, of Jeanette Minnie. She died at the age of 61, after a bitter battle with cancer. Jeanette will be remembered with great fondness and respect by all who met her and interacted with her. In her work, she was respected for her incisive and...
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The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX) demands Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) to immediately release the eight students who have been detained incommunicado without charges. On May 3, 2016, 17 students were expelled from the University of Khartoum following a protest held on April 27, 2016 on the university campus. Two students were reportedly shot dead by agents of the NISS during...
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It is with great sorrow that the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) learned of the passing on June 7, 2016, of Peter Schellschmidt. He died at the age of 71, after a long battle with cancer. Peter witnessed Namibia’s transition to independence during his time as representative of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (from 1989 to 1993) and returned to the country as the coordinator...
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The African Freedom of Expression Exchange (AFEX), a network of freedom of expression organizations on the continent, has petitioned Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, calling on him to make a commitment to protect and defend free speech in the face of the deteriorating freedom of expression situation and the abuse of freedom of assembly rights in Uganda. The petition was motivated by the recent wave of...
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The Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR) Advocacy Pansy Tlakula arrives in Harare on Monday, 16 May 2016 on a four-day working visit to Zimbabwe. Advocate Tlakula who will be in Harare in her capacity as the ACHPR’s Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information , kick starts her “advocacy visit” with a dinner on Monday hosted...
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