ZAMBIA: ZEC, Other Civil Organisations Want Laws Unfriendly to Media Freedom and Free Expression Reviewed
The Zambia Episcopal Conference (ZEC) has joined other
23 civil society organisations in recommending the review of the Penal Code and
Criminal Procedure Act in relation to issues of Freedom of Expression and
freedom of the Press in Zambia. The submission was initiated by the Media
Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia.
23 civil society organisations in recommending the review of the Penal Code and
Criminal Procedure Act in relation to issues of Freedom of Expression and
freedom of the Press in Zambia. The submission was initiated by the Media
Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zambia.
Speaking at the launch of the identified pieces of
legislation that civil society want to be reviewed or totally taken out of the
books of Law in Lusaka on Thursday 6th August, 2015, MISA-Zambia
board member Father Freeborn Kibombwe, OMI, said that his organisation desires
to see a Zambia that people will be free to express themselves and achieving an
objective of decriminalising laws inimical to media freedom and free
expression.
legislation that civil society want to be reviewed or totally taken out of the
books of Law in Lusaka on Thursday 6th August, 2015, MISA-Zambia
board member Father Freeborn Kibombwe, OMI, said that his organisation desires
to see a Zambia that people will be free to express themselves and achieving an
objective of decriminalising laws inimical to media freedom and free
expression.
Fr. Kibombwe added that there is need to mount a
strong advocacy campaign that would put government under pressure and succumb
to demands of the people.
strong advocacy campaign that would put government under pressure and succumb
to demands of the people.
The Penal code which was put in the Zambian Law Statues
by the British colonial government has successively been maintained despite the
fact that many people have noted that they are repressive.
by the British colonial government has successively been maintained despite the
fact that many people have noted that they are repressive.
The Civil Society organisations have since submitted
to the Zambia Law Development Commission and the country’s Ministry of Justice
that laws which are hostile to media freedom and free expression should be
reviewed and some taken off the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Act.
to the Zambia Law Development Commission and the country’s Ministry of Justice
that laws which are hostile to media freedom and free expression should be
reviewed and some taken off the Penal Code and Criminal Procedure Act.
Source: Mwenya Mukuka, Communications Officer ZEC
