The “extremely harsh” contempt of court jail sentence imposed on the editor of Zambia’s Post could set a bad example for other countries in the region, the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) said on Monday.
Fred M’membe was last week sentenced to four months with hard labour, and was jailed immediately, despite giving notice of intention to appeal.
Sanef said it understood that a prison sentence for M’membe’s alleged offence was unduly severe. Lawyers had expected a fine would be imposed.
“Sanef calls for his immediate release from jail and for the conviction to be dealt with by the Zambian appeal court,” the organisation said.
Sanef said it had noted how Zimbabwe-style constraints on the media had begun to seep into Botswana, where a restrictive Media Practitioners’ Act had been brought into force.
“[It] fears that what happens in Zambia today could influence conduct against the media in neighbouring countries and in South Africa,” it said.
M’membe was convicted of publishing critical comment on the obscenity trial of Post‘s news editor. She was charged after emailing officials photos of a woman giving birth on the street to illustrate the consequences of a health workers’ strike. — Sapa