Africa-Press – Zambia. THE Free Press Initiative – FPI Zambia is deeply saddened and shocked by police’s unwarranted detention of Millenium TV journalist Namo Phiri and the station’s presenter Abel Musonda. The duo was arrested for over six hours after being picked while they covered a peaceful protest for opposition members on Friday.
FPI Founder and Executive Director Joan Chirwa disclosed that they were picked up around 15:00 hours on Friday and released the same day after 21:00 hours once their supervisor intervened.
According to the TV Station, the two told police that they were journalists but because they did not have identity cards with them, police ignored those explanations and held them.
Chirwa says there is no proper justification police can use on this clearly flawed decision to arrest not only the journalists but the opposition party members as well.
“The Right to protest is a Right that each citizen must enjoy. Therefore, the offence of unlawful assembly is outdated and goes against Human Rights and the tenets of democracy which Zambia claims to be,” she said.
Chirwa notes that police must relax before making certain decisions that are undoing the good which President Hakainde Hichilema has promised to do in ensuring that all Zambians enjoy their human rights.
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