National Overview Malawi 2011 - Media Institute of Southern Africa

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Malawiing the constitutionality of Section 46 ofthe Penal Code.The section, which was amended by parliamentin November 2010, empowersthe Minister of Information to ban eitherimportation or publication of materialswhich, according to the minister, are notin the public interest.CommuniquéDate: April 20, 2011Person/ institution: FergusCochrane-DyetViolation/ issue: LegislationGovernment authorities in Malawi aretight lipped over reports of expulsion ofBritish High Commissioner to Malawi,Fergus Cochrane-Dyet. According topublished reports, Dyet has been given72 hours from Monday, 19 April 2011,to leave the country. The reasons forthe British envoy’s expulsion were notclear as government had not yet issueda statement on the matter.CommuniquéDate: April 27, 2011Person/ institution: MediaViolation/ issue: OtherJournalists in Malawi on Saturday, 23April 2011, went to the street to march incommemoration of World Press FreedomDay (WPFD). The aim of the regionalcelebrations is to broaden participation.All journalists, media freedom andfreedom of expression advocates acrossthe country would be able to take part inthe celebrations.May 12, 2011: The 2011 World PressFreedom Day (WPFD) main celebrationswere held in style in Malawi as the eventwas for the first time since 2002 held inMzuzu City, Northern Malawi.Since 2010,MISA Malawi has been rotating maincelebrations for WPFD in all the regionsof the country to broaden participationand hype and excitement as both themedia and members of the public havean opportunity to take part in thecelebrations.AlertDate: June 22, 2011Person/ institution: DemocraticProgressive PartyViolation/ issue: LegislationThe ruling Democratic ProgressiveParty (DPP) has taken advantage of itsnumerical advantage in parliament topass a controversial injunctions bill intolaw. The bill calls for an inter-parteshearing whenever an injunction is beingsought against any arm of government.The bill further requires that governmentbe given notice of three days before theinter-partes hearing is conducted.CommuniquéDate: June 16, 2011Person/ institution: Weekend TimesViolation/ issue: VictoryThe government of Malawi has finallylifted a ban imposed on the WeekendTimes, a sensational weekly tabloidwhich had sought relief from the HighCourt to continue publishing after theban in October 2010. The newspaper wasbanned one year after its first edition becausethe paper was not registered withthe National Archives of Malawi.80So This is Democracy • 2011
AlertDate: July 11, 2011Person/ institution: Malawi HumanRights Commission (MHRC)Violation/ issue: LegislationChief Justice Lovemore Munlo has allowedthe Malawi Human Rights Commission(MHRC) to file for certificationof the amended Section 46 of the PenalCode. The Chief Justice has furtherdismissed arguments from the attorneygeneral who wanted the court to throwout the matter.August 19, 2011: Chief Justice LovemoreMunlo on Thursday, 11 August 2011 postponedto a later date hearing of Section46 of the Penal Code after lawyers representingMalawi Human Rights Commission(MHRC) were not available for theproceedings to start. Reports indicatethat lawyer for MHRC, Chrispin Sibande,who is also Deputy Director of Legal Servicesat the Commission, communicatedto the court that he would not be availablefor the case as he had travelled.December 9, 2011: The Malawi governmenthas referred to the Law Commissionfor review some draconian laws recentlypassed in Parliament. The decision tohave the laws reviewed was announcedby Minister of Justice and ConstitutionalAffairs Ephraim Chiume and Leader ofthe House George Chaponda at a pressconference held in the Capital Lilongwe,on Wednesday 7 December 2011.CommuniquéDate: July 15, 2011Person/ institution: BlantyreNewspapers Limited (BNL) andNation Publications Limited (NPL)Violation/ issue: LegislationMalawi’s two major print media houses,Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) andNation Publications Limited (NPL) haveannounced new cover prices. This followsgovernment’s introduction of a16.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) tonewspapers. Through separate noticespublished in the two dailies, NPL andBNL announced that The Nation and TheDaily Times respectively, as well as NationOn Sunday and The Sunday Timeswill be selling at MK200 (about US$1.33)per copy from MK170 (about US$1.13).AlertDate: July 19, 2011Person/ institution: ZodiakBroadcasting Station (ZBS)Violation/ issue: AssaultedThe situation is tense at Zodiak BroadcastingStation (ZBS), a privately ownedradio station located in the Capital Lilongwe,where two of its vehicles havebeen attacked by thugs on two separateoccasions. The first incident took placeon Sunday, 17 July 2011 while the secondincident occurred 18 July 2011 nigh.According to sources, masked men wereseen throwing stones and petrol bombsat the ZBS branded vehicles.So This is Democracy • 2011 81
Page 1 and 2: NationalOverviewMalawi2011By Franci
Page 3 and 4: tion to the ruling political party
Page 5 and 6: tions will be accepted by the sameP
Page 7 and 8: 4.5 percent of the population uses
Page 9 and 10: vivo de protestos em massa. Todos e
Page 11 and 12: imprensa terá o direito para infor
Page 13 and 14: Malauianos que podem dispor comprar
Page 15: draconianas e baixa penetração da
Page 19 and 20: Mahwayo, who was arrested on Monday
Page 21: commit suicide. The student, Robert

National Overview Malawi 2011 - Media Institute of Southern Africa

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