Lay off journos, Lesotho hears

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Lesotho authorities to stop attempting to intimidate critical journalists and to withdraw what it calls a baseless complaint of incitement against privately owned radio station MoAfrika FM.

Lesotho’s Broadcasting Dispute Resolution Panel, in a letter dated August 7, summoned MoAfrika to appear before it yesterday, after the ministry of communication filed a complaint on behalf of the government, accusing the station of incitement to violence, according to editor-in-chief, Sebonomoea RK Ramainoane and documents reviewed by CPJ.

The letter cites four instances in July when the station aired critical reporting on government officials.

“The government’s allegations of incitement to violence against the MoAfrika FM are clearly baseless and expose intolerance to critical journalism,” said CPJ sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo.

“The government should withdraw its complaint immediately and let journalists do their work of holding the powerful to account.”

The committee has also welcomed the release of a Nigerian journalist after he was kept in detention for over two years by the department of state security.

Jones Abiri, the publisher and editor-in-chief of the Weekly Source newspaper, was released on Wednesday after being incarcerated without trial or being allowed to see his family.

On June 21, 20 organisations joined CPJ in writing a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari calling for Abiri’s release.

“Abiri should never have been arrested nor kept in detention,” said Muthoki Mumo, CPJ’s representative from Kenya.