President Joyce Banda regrets that Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) journalist Clement Chinoko was not charged and taken to court after his arrest within the 48 hour Constitutional requirement. Speaking through State House Press Secretary Steven Nhlane, the President said it was her hope that in future prosecuting officers and suspects lawyers would ensure that people’s rights are not violated. &RPPXQLTXp Date: June 11, 2012 Person/ institution: Media fraternity Violation/ issue: Other The media fraternity in the country has welcomed the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on newspapers, describing it as good news in the interest of the people’s right to information. VAT on newspapers was introduced during late president Bingu Wa Mutharika’s regime as one way of generating funds in the 2011/12 infamous Zero-Deficit Budget (ZDB), a blue print which attracted mixed reactions among the country’s citizens, government authorities and the donor community. &RPPXQLTXp Date: July 26, 2012 Person/ institution: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority Violation/ issue: Other The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has awarded fifteen broadcasting licences for both radio and television to prospective broadcasters who had applied for the licenses two years ago. This brings the total of newlylicensed broadcasters to twenty-three, after MACRA initially released eight names (4 Radio and 4 Television) of successful applicants in November 2011. The announcement of names of successful broadcasters comes barely one week after the Malawi Chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Malawi) wrote MACRA expressing concern on the delays in granting broadcasting licenses. $OHUW Date: October 4, 2012 Person/ institution: Malawian government Violation/ issue: Legislation In a move that may be seen by a number of media practitioners and some members of the public as having a negative impact on media freedom and freedom of expression, the government of Malawi, led by President Joyce Banda, has introduced a Bill (attached) that seeks to regulate and control online communications in Malawi. “The main objective of the Malawian Government is to have the Republic of Malawi benefit from a true technological leap which may fasten its economic growth by enabling the development of new economic activities thanks to the implementation of a secure legal framework regulating the use of [information Communication Technologies - ICTs]” reads the introductory note to the Bill, which has been labelled the E-Bill. 6R7KLVLV'HPRFUDF\"