/ 16 April 1999

ZAMBIAN JOURNALISTS CHARGED

A ZAMBIAN magistrate on Friday charged with espoinage the 12 Postjournalists arrested last month. The journalists from the Post newspaper, who include the managing director and editor, Fred M’membe, were separately arrested and charged with espionage, which carries a minimum jail term of twenty years, after their paper carried a story comparing Zambia’s military capabilities with those of its neighbour Angola. Prosecutor John Katongo told the court that the director of public prosecutions had agreed to have the journalists committed to the high court for the trial. The dates for the trial will be set during the next high court sitting which starts next month.