CONTENTS FOREWORD: Journalism in the face of environmental crises /2 Importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of current global environmental crisis /4 CONNECTING THE DOTS: Environmental crisis, climate change, elections, freedom of expression and media freedom / 12 COUNTRY REPORTS / 17 Angola: Restrictive laws used to target journalists / 17 Botswana: Misinformation and disinformation loom large over 2024 polls / 23 Eswatini: Human rights violations, outdated laws linger / 30 Lesotho: A long way to go for media freedom / 35 Malawi: Another year of persistent and unwarranted hostility towards journalists / 43 Mozambique: Polls heighten attacks against journalists / 51 Namibia: Geingob leaves behind rich media freedom legacy / 60 South Africa: Silencing journalists and rising online abuse cases / 67 Tanzania: Safety of journalists under severe threat / 74 Zambia: Some steps forward, more backwards / 84 Zimbabwe: Self-censorship and elections take centre stage / 91 Media Freedom Violations 2023 / 98 3 STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023