Amnesty International warns against harassment of journalists for Covid-19 reporting 'We have seen governments criminalising journalists and shutting down media outlets that are perceived to be calling out poor government responses to Covid-19'
JOHANNESBURG - As the coronavirus Covid-19 continues to spread across Southern Africa, governments are targeting journalists and media houses critical of their handling of the pandemic, Amnesty International warned on Sunday, World Press Freedom Day.
Attacks on the right to freedom of expression, media freedom, and the victimisation of journalists for questioning governments' handling of Covid-19 surfaced in Madagascar as the pandemic spread in the region. In Zambia, authorities shut down the independent television news channel Prime TV on April 9 after cancelling its broadcasting license. The cancellation came after the alleged refusal by the station to air the government’s Covid-19 public awareness campaigns because the station was owed money for previous unrelated state advertisements.
Two journalists, Nunurai Jena in Chinhoyi and Panashe Makufa in Harare, were accused of working without valid journalism accreditation cards, normally issued by the Zimbabwe Media Commission , even though the commission was yet to issue the 2020 accreditation cards to journalists. Authorities reportedly tried to charge him for "writing ill" about King Mswati III, which could constitute high treason. However, Amnesty International could not independently establish if he would face treason charges at the time of writing. In addition, police seized three smartphones, a laptop, notebook, and other documents related to his work after searching his residence.
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