professionals. MISA Malawi chairperson Golden Matonga said in an interview for this report that there were several other cases where journalists were assaulted or victimised for merely doing their work. Notably, the assailants were varied, comprising police officers, political party enthusiasts, university students, football club representatives, and ordinary citizens. He cited for example, that police in Lilongwe on February 9, 2023, detained Dorica Mtenje, a reporter for an online publication Maravi Post, over a story involving the director of the National Intelligence Agency (NIS). Such assaults engender fear among journalists, leading to self-censorship, which hinders democratic progress. These incidents serve as an urgent call to action to protect Malawi’s democracy by guaranteeing a free, independent, and diverse press. Mtenje was detained for several hours at police headquarters at Area 30 before being released. Several months later, in August 2023, officers from police headquarters also summoned Chancy Namazunda, an editor from an online publication Atlas Malawi, over a story that the site published. It warrants attention that, although assailants targeting journalists evade arrest, authorities persistently apprehend ordinary individuals for purported violations of the Cyber Security and Electronic Transactions Act of 2016. The officers alleged that Namazunda and Atlas Malawi had defamed businessman Abdul Karim Batatawala. Arbitrary arrests based on online activity adversely affect freedom of expression by instilling fear, consequently curtailing open discourse — a further menace to any robust democracy. On August 16, 2023, some people threatened and deleted pictures and video footage in GBS Television’s Vanwek Mumbwa’s mobile phone during a public auction at the administrator general’s office carpark in Lilongwe. They accused him of taking pictures and video footage of the auction. Government and media relations On November 20, 2023, police officers arrested journalist Noel Mkwaila for allegedly taking pictures of their operation against minibus routes in Blantyre, southern Malawi. On a positive note, one would argue that 2023 will also be remembered as a year a State president once again marked World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) together with journalists. President Lazarus Chakwera invited the media to a breakfast engagement as part of the celebrations for 2023 WPFD. On November 30, barely two weeks after arresting Mkwaila, police officers in Mangochi, eastern region of Malawi, confiscated a mobile phone from reporter Raphael Mlozoa of Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS), and deleted pictures. (10) To a large extent, the engagement built a positive relationship of trust between the media and government as it provided a rare opportunity to discuss broader issues affecting the media and what needs to be done to improve the media operating environment in the country. The incident took place during running battles between the police and some protesters in the district. As a follow up to the breakfast engagement, the State House communications team also met with the MISA Malawi leadership to discuss issues of mutual concern and explored workable ideas to improve the relationship between government and the media. Another example involved university students. A group of students from Mzuzu University, northern Malawi, assaulted Jonathan Pasungwi, a reporter from Nation Publications Limited and seized his mobile phone and deleted all his pictures. Among others, the meeting looked at how to improve access to the presidency through the media and also how to ensure a professional and informed media sector to facilitate national development. Pasungwi was reporting on protests against a hike in tuition fees at the university. The examples provided illustrate the perils journalists in Malawi face. Regrettably, authorities have not detained or prosecuted any offenders for these crimes against media Another key positive development for 2023 was a round table discussion with the Malawi 47 STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA 2023