Acrobat PDF - Kubatana

· ALERTDate: April 07, 2005Persons/Institutions: Jonathan MukukaViolation: BeatenOn April 7 2005, police in Zambia’s Nakonde district beat Zambia Information Servicereporter Jonathan Mukuka, forcing him to flee into neighbouring Tanzania for oneweek.Armed police stormed Mukuka’s house at around 8:30 p.m. (local time) on April 7, followinga report that appeared in the “Zambia Daily Mail” and aired on the Zambia National BroadcastingCorporation radio news in which the journalist addressed Nakonde residents’ complaintsabout police releasing murder suspects from custody without charge. The residentsaccused the local police of corruption.Mukuka, who sounded very upset, related his ordeal to MISA-Zambia. “They stormed myhouse at 20h30, started beating me up, accusing me of ‘putting their lives on the choppingboard.’ In the heat of the beating, I managed to hit one of them. This paved the way for me torun away from them. I hid in the next village. The following morning I fled into Tanzania,” heexplained.· ALERTDate: February 23, 2005Persons/Institutions: Webster ChatilaViolation: OtherTwenty-three year-old Zambian student, Webster Chatila, is facing prosecution for staging alone demonstration against the 2005 national budget, at a rally addressed by President LevyMwanawasa, on February 23, 2005.Chatila, was arrested in Mazabuka, about 120 kilometres from Lusaka, and charged with “Conductlikely to incite people to riot,” for displaying three home-made placards, saying: “2005budget, will the poor go to school?” “2005 budget is dangerous to our lives – Magande (financeminister) must go,” and “The people of Mazabuka expect you to do more than you haveto offer in your 2005 budget.”The following day, police reversed an earlier decision to release Chatila upon admitting thecharge. He was kept in detention for another day, before being thrown into prison on February,25, pending a court appearance. On February 28 Chatila appeared before a magistrate, anddenied the charge of “Conduct likely to incite people to riot”. He was granted bail, which heapplied for himself, because he did not have a lawyer.Meanwhile, MISA Zambia has decided to hire a lawyer to represent Chatila after consideringhis request for legal assistance.· ALERT (including updates)Date: January 16, 2005Persons/Institutions: Media in ZambiaViolation: LegislationOn January 16 2005, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services (MIBS) MutaleNalumango announced that Government will appeal against the Lusaka High Court rulingcompelling her to submit to Parliament the names of board members recommended to sit onboth the Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) and Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation(ZNBC) Boards as recommended by the two Ad-Hoc appointments committees appointedunder the ZNBC (Amendment) and IBA Acts.Nalumango told the state owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) newsthat Government was not satisfied with the outcome of the High Court ruling and had decidedto appeal against it. Nalumango said something was lacking in the judicial interpretation by theHigh Court and Government wanted to exhaust all possible avenues in the matter.So This Is Democracy? 2005-139-Media Institute of Southern Africa