Radio France Internationale (Paris)

A court in the Zambian capital Lusaka charged the news editor of local Post Newspaper with contempt of court for running a story on the trial of a journalist accused of pornography over a picture showing a woman in childbirth.

Fred M'membe published the story "The Chansa Kabwela case: a comedy of errors", commenting on the trial of news editor Chansa Kabwela, who in November was cleared of obscenity charges over an unpublished picture of a woman giving birth in the street outside a hospital.

Lusaka magistrate David Simusamba convicted M'membe on Friday of contempt for allowing the article to run back in August 2009 while the trial was underway.

The photograph in question was taken during a doctor's strike, and was intended to highlight the poor state of medical care in Zambia.

The photo was never published, but Kabwela sent copies of the picture to Vice President George Kunda and women's groups, sparking anger in the presidency.

The court also announced that it was to release the Human Resources director Rueben Phiri who was serving the sentence on M'membe's behalf.

"Its really a dark day for press freedom in Zambia", said Mmembe's defence attorney George Chisanga.

Immediately after sentencing, Mmembe was ushered out of the court by prison wardens and will be detained pending the outcome of his bail application.

Print      Send to a friend