Broadcast of programme on hanged South African banned

The Botswana government has banned the broadcast of a documentary on South African citizen Marietta Bosch, who was hanged recently for the murder of her friend Ria Wolmarans, Channel Africa reported. The report quoted Andrew Sesinyi, director of information, as saying that the documentary was "legally sensitive".

Bosch was hanged in secrecy, without even her family being notified, after President Festus Mogae said he would not grant her a pardon. At the time she was hanged, Bosch still protested her innocence. Human rights groups and Bosch's family were trying to appeal against her sentence and conviction. Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) national director in Botswana, Modise Maphanyane, said his organisation was concerned whenever media freedoms were curtailed and would look at what action could be taken at the organisation's next meeting.