SECTOR 1 1.2 The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists, are asserting their rights without fear. Zambian citizens and journalists express themselves on varying levels, depending on the media platform being used, the level of anonymity that is possible, and the issues being addressed. Moreover, regardless of where they express themselves on issues, the fear factor is not negated. Panellists’ responses on this indicator were mixed. On the one hand, citizens are not at all able to express themselves freely, particularly due to the perceived high levels of political intolerance. “Any debates on the legitimacy of the chief justice are prohibited; some people were getting lynched for attempting to discuss [the scrapping of government food] subsidies4; and there have been abductions of people and arrests of representatives from civil society organisations.” On the other hand, however, Zambian citizens express themselves without fear on other platforms. There are those who call in to phone-in-discussions on radio, and most of the time they provide their names, phone numbers and addresses, all the while voicing their criticism of government. “I haven’t heard of any reprisals based on this account.” Although “people speak their minds on a daily basis”, this is done mostly on radio, which is the biggest media platform, and which provides a certain level of anonymity. Panellists noted that when arrests or attacks are made, it is usually of “cadres of civil society organisations”, wherein there has been some buildup in “momentum” in expressing their views on certain seemingly “politically sensitive” topics. “The freedom to say what I want is there. But feeling intimidated is something else.” Although people express themselves, there is fear of reprisals, such as the attacks on people by certain party cadres, in response to gatherings and/or discussions on subsidies. “People in the communities are afraid. People that were on their way to a meeting [to discuss the specific issue of subsidies] were pulled off the bus, taken to a police station, and made to apologise for something they hadn’t done. A lot of people are afraid, and access to media by citizens is even more difficult, because people are afraid to go to the media. So it’s only a small group of people who are always writing about the same thing. So fear affects diversity of views.” 4 14 In May 2013, at least 31 students were arrested for protesting government’s decision to scrap staple food subsidies. (Mail & Guardian, 18 May 2013) AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZAMBIA 2013