Human rights organisations call government to stop regulatory frameworks abuse
As the country joins the rest of the world in commemorating world press freedom day President Lazarus Chakwera has assured journalists of his commitment to uphold press freedom and freedom of expression.
Speaking during a breakfast for journalists at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, Chakwera said his government will never persecute anyone for speaking his or her mind.
He added that his administration will use legally laid down procedures such as taking to the court or lodging complaint with relevant regulating bodies where he feels offended by certain people in their exercise of freedom of expression.
President Chakwera has also asked journalists to jealously guard their noble profession by resisting corruption and refusing to be used by certain individuals for selfish reasons.
Meanwhile, Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA) Malawi has said spying on journalists and their sources are not only a threat to the right to privacy but also erode whistle blowers and public trust in the media.
Misa Malawi president Teleza Ndanga has citedElectronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act of 2016, as one of the laws being used by some state agents and other actors to spy on journalists’ works.
“MISA Malawi further says has noted with concern that the Malawi Police Service is abusing the regulatory framework of digital platforms in order to reduce space for freedom of expression,” Ndanga
Ndanga has since appeal to the government and non-state actors to stop snooping on phone and internet users as that is a violation of the right to privacy.
Commenting on the same, the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has said the act of surveillance and hacking the social media is increasingly threatening the freedom of press and expression in the country.
MHRC said with the growing of digital era the act is also violating the fundamental principles of whistleblower and source protection.
It says the press has an important role in the promotion and protection of human rights, especially the right of access to information enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi.
The Commission therefore has reminded government of its commitment to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of its citizens enshrined in the constitution of the country.
MHRC however urged government to work together with journalists to discuss emerging challenges and identifying workable solutions.
The press freedom day is being commemorated under the theme: ‘journalism under digital siege”.
In a related development, civil society organizations have lamented continued threats on citizen’s freedom of expression aside attacks on journalist.
According to a statement signed by Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation CHRR, Youth and Society, MISA Malawi, centre for Human Rights and Assistance, Southern Africa Litigation Center and Center for Education and Development, figures of people arrested for expressing their views have increased for the past two years.
The organizations have therefore requested Tonse Alliance Administration to drop all criminal charges related to freedom of expression online and offline and restore government’s human rights obligations according to the constitution and international laws.
