>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>ACTION ALERT UP-DATE - ZAMBIA
>MARCH 4, 1996
>
>EDITORS AND COLUMNIST HAND THEMSELVES IN TO FACE INDEFINITE IMPRISONMENT
>
>Editor-in-Chief of The Post newspaper, Fred M'membe, the paper's Managing
>Editor Bright Mwape, and columnist Lucy Sichone have handed themselves in,
>staff at The Post report. The three reportedly presented themselves at
>Parliament at 10:00 this morning (March 4), where they were arrested and
>taken away by police to start an indefinite prison term.
>
>The three have been lying low since they were found guilty by the Speaker
>of Parliament, Dr Robinson Nabulyato, for being in contempt of parliament.
>On February 27 Nabulyato sentenced the three to indefinite imprisonment in
>terms of the Protection of Parliamentary Privileges Act; legislation dating
>back to British colonial rule. Staff at The Post said the three were taken
>from Parliament to Lusaka police headquarters, but were not sure where the
>three were to be imprisoned.
>
>On Thursday, police offered a reward of Kwacha 2 million (U$2000) for
>information leading to the arrest of the three.
>
>
>RECOMMENDED ACTION:
>Write to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Robinson Nabulyato
>- calling for an immediate release of M'membe, Mwape and Sichone, and the
>reversal of the convictions
>- expressing dismay at the fact that a democratically-elected parliament
>should resort to antiquated and undemocratic legislation such as that used
>to "convict" M'membe, Mwape and Sichone in what was obviously a blatant
>violation of the three's right to free speech.
>
>
>WRITE TO:
>Dr Robinson Nabulyato
>Speaker of the National Assembly
>PO Box 31299
>Lusaka
>Zambia
>Fax. +260 1 292252
>Tel. +260 1 292425 / 427
>
>
>ends
>
>David Lush
>Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
>Private Bag 13386
>Windhoek, Namibia
>Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016
>e-mail: dlush@ingrid.misa.org.na
>
>
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Mon, 4 Mar 1996 17:39:04 -0200
>From: David Lush - MISA <dlush@ingrid.misa.org.na>
>To: Multiple recipients of list <misa-news@wn.apc.org>
>Subject: ZAMBIA ALERT UP-DATE (2) - CORRECTION
>
>ACTION ALERT UP-DATE - ZAMBIA
>MARCH 4, 1996
>
>CORRECTION: TWO EDITORS HAND THEMSELVES IN, COLUMNIST LUCY SICHONE
>REPORTEDLY STILL AT LARGE
>
>Earlier today, MISA reported that Fred M'membe, the Editor-in-Chief of the
>Post newspaper, the paper's Managing Editor Bright Mwape, and freelance
>columnist Lucy Sichone - wanted by police for being in contempt of
>parliament - had handed themselves in. Reuters' journalist Jowie Mwiinga,
>however, has informed MISA that, while M'membe and Mwape did hand
>themselves in to the police this morning, March 4, Sichone, a civic
>activist and freelance columnist for the paper, is still at large. Mwiinga
>said M'membe has been sent to a maximum security prison in the capital
>Lusaka, while Mwape was driven to Kabwe, 150 km away from Lusaka, where he
>too is said to have been imprisoned in a maximum security jail.
>
>ends
>
>David Lush
>Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)
>Private Bag 13386
>Windhoek, Namibia
>Tel. +264 61 232975, Fax. 248016
>e-mail: dlush@ingrid.misa.org.na
>
>
>
>
>