· ALERT Date: July 25, 2005 Persons/Institutions: George Chella, Nomusa Michelo, Stephen Bwalya Violation: Threatened On July 25 2005, reporters George Chella, Nomusa Michelo and Stephen Bwalya, of the privately-owned daily newspaper, “The Post”, were questioned for more than five hours over statements made by opposition leader Michael Sata that appeared in the paper’s July 21 edition. Sata had spoken out demanding humane treatment while in detention over a charge of sedition. Heavily armed police officers stormed the paper’s premises the day before but were unable to arrest the journalists that day. They were subsequently summoned to report to the police station on July 25. · ALERT Date: June 29, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Post Newspaper editor, Fred M’membe Violation: Threatened (questioned) On June 29 2005 police in Lusaka recorded a “warn and caution” statement from Post newspaper Editor-in-Chief, Fred M’membe, over a series of editorials criticising government’s handling of a corruption case involving former Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Kashiwa Bulaya. Government, through the Director of Public Prosecutions, Chalwe Mchenga, had withdrawn a case against Bulaya, who is alleged to have corruptly benefited from the purchase of anti-retroviral drugs from a Bulgarian firm. M’membe’s lawyer, Patrick Matibini, told MISA Zambia that M’membe was being investigated for possible “Defamation of the President” arising from the strongly worded editorials. M’membe reported to police headquarters at 09h00 hours in the company of Matibini and left about two hours later. He was not formally charged. · ALERT Date: June 21, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Ngande Mwanajiti, Bishop Paul Mususu Violation: Threatened (questioned) On June 21 2005, police in Lusaka questioned Inter-African Network for Human Rights and Development (AFRONET) Executive Director, Ngande Mwanajiti, and in a separate incident, Bishop Paul Mususu, Executive Director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ), over the fax from “Annoyed Zambians,” that radio Phoenix “Let the People Talk” and “Face the Media Presenter Anthony Mukwita read on the June 10 2005 broadcast of “Let the People Talk,” referring to a failed coup of 1997. Both Mwanajiti and Bishop Mususu featured as guests on the programme. Mwanajiti told MISA Zambia shortly after his 15 minutes interview on June 21, 2005, that Chief Inspector Silungwe of Lusaka Central police asked him to confirm whether Mukwita read the fax on the programme. He told MISA Zambia that he refused to give a statement to the police in the absence of his lawyer. And Bishop Mususu confirmed that he had been summoned to Lusaka central police on June 16 and 17 and was interviewed by three officers. Mususu told MISA Zambia that Lusaka Division Criminal investigations Officer, Chief Inspector Silungwe and detectives Yuyi and Sitali questioned him and wanted to know whether there was a fax sent to the programme and if Mukwita actually read it. · ALERT Date: June 15, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Post Newspaper and vendors Violation: Censored On June 15 2005, ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) supporters attempted So This Is Democracy? 2005 -137- Media Institute of Southern Africa