2021 Angola Botswana Comoros Democratic Republic of Congo Eswatini Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa United Republic Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe 2022 103 38 84 149 141 88 57 62 61 108 24 52 32 124 115 130 Angola Botswana Comoros Democratic Republic of Congo Eswatini Lesotho Madagascar Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Seychelles South Africa United Republic Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe Trajectory 99 95 83 125 131 88 98 80 64 116 18 13 35 123 109 137 SADC Ranking 10 8 6 14 15 7 9 5 4 12 2 1 3 13 11 16 13 14 (13) (14) Reporters Without Without Borders Index 2021 vs 2022 Reporters BordersPress PressFreedom Freedom Index 2021 vs 2022 The of criminalising defamation persists in the region and is entrenched in th The prevalent prevalentpractice practice of criminalising cybersecurity. defamation in In theparticular, region and is majority of persists legislation. Mozambique's Social Communications Law and Botswana entrenched in the majority of legislation. Meanwhile, Namibia and Lesotho are currently Media Practitioners' Association (MPA) Act contain provisions criminal defamation, exemplifyin engaged in thefor development of cybersecurity particular, Social and cybercrime legislation. aInregressive approachMozambique’s to media regulation driven by a desire to exert control over the media and th Communications Law and Botswana’s Media Practitioners’ Associationto (MPA) ActMoreover, contain the TheDemocratic consequential impact ofof the thisCongo legislative information available citizens. Republic (DRC) i provisions for criminal defamation, exemplifying trend has been a discernible constriction of the notorious for exploiting defamation laws to suppress dissenting voices, especially those of journalist a regressive approach to media regulation driven fundamental freedoms of expression and media by a desire to exert control over the media and the region. national security. who are critical of the government, or under the freedom pretext ofinsafeguarding the information available to citizens. Digital rights activist, Frederico Links, raises the Moreover, the Democratic Congo Development alarm on what he perceives as the weaponisation On 17 August 2020, the Republic Southernof African Community (SADC) Heads of Stat (DRC) is notorious for exploiting defamation laws of the law to constrict digital civic spaces. resolved voices, to take especially proactive those measures to counteract external interference, the advers tocollectively suppress dissenting ofeffects journalists who are critical This, in hisespecially view, is coupled the “use of of fake news, andof the the government, abuse of social media, within with electoral processes. or under the pretext of safeguarding national sophisticated spyware by some governments Subsequent to this, several countries within to the...region, Botswana, Eswatini,lives, Tanzania security. intrudenamely into and monitor people’s media disinformation Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, initiated an pervasive expeditedsocial process of mediated law-making on cybersecurity On 17 August 2020, the Southern African souring online experiences, rampant cyberMeanwhile, Community Namibia and Lesotho areof currently engaged attacks in the development cybersecurity an Development (SADC) Heads State criminal and the of dehumanising collectively to take proactive measures commercial economy, all of awhich cybercrimeresolved legislation. The consequential impact of this surveillance legislative trend has been discernibl to counteract external interference, the adverse combine to degrade Africans’ online lives”. constriction of news, the fundamental freedoms of expression and media freedom in the region. effects of fake and the abuse of social (16) Botswana, again, is a prime example. Thapelo Ndlovu writes that in 2020, Botswana was Digital rightstoactivist, Frederico Links, raises alarm onaswhat as thenations weaponisation o Subsequent this, several countries within the identified one he of perceives seven African that the region, namelydigital Botswana, Eswatini, spied on journalists using sold the the law to constrict civic spaces. This, in his view, is coupled withspyware the “use of by sophisticate Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, Israeli-owned Cyprus-based company Circles. spywareanbyexpedited some governments to … intrude initiated process of law-making oninto and monitor people’s lives, pervasive social medi media, especially within electoral processes.(15) mediated disinformation souring online experiences, rampant cyber-criminal attacks 11and th