Elections dented press freedom rankings � MISA
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday February 17, 2015 17:03
According to the 2015 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders last Thursday, Botswana slipped a notch and was ranked 42nd out of 180 countries.
While the report noted that no journalists or “net citizens” were killed, Botswana did have a case of sedition against a journalist during 2014.
Responding to the rankings, MISA Botswana chapter director, Buyani Zongwani said the media watchdog was surprised that the country did not “fall five steps down”.
“There was too much pressure from the ruling party last year such that media freedom was trampled on,” he said. “It is not surprising that the country has declined.”
Zongwani said MISA has always been against laws that infringe on press freedom, most of which he argued are still in effect in Botswana.
“We observed the abuse of many journalists last year in the build up to the polls,” he said.
“Government should repeal obsolete laws such as the clauses in the Penal Code on sedition which made international headlines in 2014 prior to elections.
“It is time the country scrapped the law on defamation, and many other obsolete laws as they work against media freedom.”
Zongwani said other hostile legislation includes sections of the Corruption and Economic Crime Act which, while ostensibly safeguarding the disclosure of confidential information, also had the effect of preventing freedom of information.
Last year, the Attorney General, using the said law, attempted to interdict the Sunday Standard newspaper from continuing to publish material, which allegedly is part of an ongoing investigation.
“While the DCEC has previously stated that they get leads from the media, we found it improper to prevent the press from publishing certain content,” said Zongwani.
“It is an infringement on media freedom,”
However, he also cautioned media practitioners to be self-regulatory through the Press Council of Botswana in order to avoid the invocation of draconian laws.
According to the Reporters Without Borders ranking, Botswana was fifth in Africa, behind Namibia which is the continental leader. Other countries ahead of Botswana are Ghana, Cape Verde and South Africa.
World-leader, Finland, hung onto the top spot, being the fifth year in a row, followed by Norway and Denmark.