freedom in Section 36 (2), which states that ”the press shall have the right to report and publish freely within Malawi and abroad and to be accorded the fullest possible facilities for access to information”. Party (MCP) and its alliance partner United Transformation Movment (UTM) in Blantyre, a commercial city in the southern part of the country. As reported by the Committee to Protect of Journalists (CPJ) “about 15 people in the governing MCP regalia descended on Mzindiko after he filmed a fistfight between MCP and UTM supporters and demanded he delete his photos and video. Despite these constitutional provisions, the state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Malawi is under threat. Malawi continued to drop in the annual Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index from position 80 in 2022 (3) to 82 in 2023 (4) . When the journalist refused, they slapped him, grabbed his crotch, stole his camera lens, and deleted footage from his laptop and camera memory card.” (7) Though this was merely a slight drop, compared with the ranking of 2021 when the country was ranked 62, (5) it is a rude awakening. Information minister Moses Kunkuyu subsequently issued separate apologies over the incident. Minister Kunkuyu also visited Times Group offices to apologise in person to Mzindiko. This report reflects on the state of media freedom and freedom of expression in Malawi in 2023 with a focus on the safety of journalists, government/media relations, the legal environment and the state of access to information, among others. The meeting took place at Times Group’s head office, where newly-elected MISA-Malawi National Governing Council (NGC) members were in attendance. (8) The report shows that practicing journalism in Malawi is risky and dangerous and calls for more awareness on the importance of media freedom and freedom of expression in building a resilient and democratic dispensation. The CPJ in New York also issued a statement condemning the attack. “Authorities must ensure that those who assaulted journalist Francis Mzindiko are arrested and prosecuted, in order to send an unequivocal message that violence against journalists will not be condoned in Malawi. While apologies are welcome, they cannot absolve those in authority from acting swiftly and decisively,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa programme co-ordinator. The report also calls for prosecution of perpetrators of violence against journalists to ensure a free, independent and pluralistic media in the country. Safety of journalists and media freedom In August, 2023, a sports journalist for Kasupe Radio, Smart Chalika was assaulted at a Super League of Malawi (SULOM) match between Silver Strikers and Extreme FC at Bingu National Stadium (BNS). (9) Promotion of an independent media, free from attacks against journalists, is fundamental for a strong and vibrant democracy and the promotion of a peaceful and inclusive society, with strong and accountable institutions. Head coach Hedrikus Pieter De Jong verbally attacked journalists and supporters assaulted Chalika. In 2023, Malawi registered cases of arbitrary arrests and harassment and assault of journalists for merely doing their job. In the first incident, De Jong verbally charged at journalists in a post-match interview, describing some of the questions they had asked him as “stupid.” According to MISA Malawi, the country registered eight cases in which over 10 journalists were attacked or assaulted. (6) In a separate incident, Silver Strikers supporters assaulted Chalika for taking pictures of a scuffle between supporters of the two teams. Police officers had to rescue Chalika from the Silver Strikers’ supporters. On May 17, a few days after Malawi joined commemorations to mark World Press Freedom Day, political party zealots attacked privatelyowned Times Group newspaper photojournalist Francis Mzindiko, as he covered a fight between supporters of the ruling Malawi Congress STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023 MISA Malawi strongly condemned De Jong and the supporters for assaulting journalists. 46