Malawi

Journalist Patricia Kayuni was attacked by protestors while she was covering a demonstration in Chitipa in northern Malawi.

During an internet freedom and digital rights training for CSOs it was highlighted that recently passed legislation in Malawi requiring mandatory registration has the capacity to allow state surveillance in the absence of a data protection law and should be of concern to all Malawians.

Malawi’s recently passed information bill could help communities affected by the extractive industries get information about related environmental, health, and safety risks.

Malawi’s recently passed information bill could help communities affected by the extractive industries get information about related environmental, health, and safety risks.

The closure of Times Group comes less than a week after the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) sought an injunction restraining the media outlet from publishing stories on the “maize gate.”

The closure of Times Group comes less than a week after the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) sought an injunction restraining the media outlet from publishing stories on the “maize gate.”

The passing of the bill is a huge step in the 12-year long process in which various stakeholders, led by MISA Malawi, campaigned for legislation on access to information.

MISA Malawi and the Media Council of Malawi (MCM) would like to appeal to government to review its position on the just-gazetted Access to Information (ATI) Bill which, in its current form, undermines rather than promotes the right to information as provided for in Section 37 of the Malawi Constitution.

A written statement from Justice Minister Samuel Tembenu explicitly commits the government to the suspension of enforcement of anti-gay penal code provisions. The statement also emphasizes the government’s commitment to freedom of association for groups working to advance LGBT rights

As the 15 member states of SADC prepare to meet for the 34th Summit of Heads of State and Government in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe on August 17 and 18, 2014, the three human rights organizations drew attention to serious human rights concerns in Angola, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The assault against journalist Raphael Mlozoa follows a report he filed, which said that the minister of Economic Planning and Development, Ralph Jooma, had himself been assaulted by certain members of the Muslim community.

Youngson Chilinda, chief security officer of the Parliament of Malawi, punched photojournalist Thoko Chikondi on 30 May 2013. Chilinda was arrested on 1 June, and has denied the charge of “assault occasioning bodily harm.”

Anthony Masamba was attacked after asking the head of the Malawi Confederation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry to comment on alleged government overspending. The State House has reportedly overspent on its 2012/2013 national budget allocation barely five months into the fiscal year.

Police in Blantyre, southern Malawi, have arrested online journalist, Justice Mponda but are not shedding further light on the arrest.

The special commission created by Malawi’s new president to investigate opposition blogger Robert Chasowa’s death has concluded that he was murdered, as his family and colleagues had suspected all along.

The meeting drew attention to key issues that are relevant to how the media can function more effectively in the nascent democracy.