Lusaka ~ Wednesday, 23 November 2022
By Brightwell Chabusha
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has written the New Dawn Administration to honor the promises it made regarding press freedom prior last year’s elections.
The Committee has asked government if it is committed to repealing or reforming the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act to ensure journalism is not criminalized and that the media practitioners are guaranteed the privacy they require to do their work.
It has also wondered if the New Dawn Administration will make the necessary legal reforms to decriminalize defamation and ensure journalists do not face the looming threat of criminal investigation or prosecution for their work.
CPJ has also asked government if it will treat the death of journalist Humphrey Jupiter Nkonde with the urgency it deserves and ensure the investigation is reopened.
“In September 2019, journalist Humphrey Jupiter Nkonde disappeared and was found dead near the Chilengwa Na Lesa dam, in Zambia’s Copperbelt province, according to news reports and CPJ reporting from the time,” read a letter signed by the CPJ Africa Program Coordinator, Angela Quintal and Co-Team Lead, Programs, Bulanda Nkhowani.
“According to an August 21, 2020, ruling, which CPJ reviewed, local magistrate Mary Goma said she was not satisfied with the previous police efforts to determine the circumstances of Nkonde’s death and ordered renewed investigation. However, CPJ has found that to date police have yet to move to investigate Nkonde’s death on claims that they have no leads on which to act.”
The Committee has further asked if government will issue a direct and public call for political supporters to ensure the safety of journalists and refrain from harassing the press.
Regarding the IBA, CPJ has asked if the New Dawn Administration will ensure that IBA Act, including Section 29, is reformed and that the changes protect against politically motivated censorship.