Search
  1. Home
  2. Southern Africa
  3. Zambia

Journalists appear on espionage charges

    JOHANNESBURG

    The managing editor of Zambia’s independent daily, ‘The Post’, Fred M’membe, and 11 of his staff reporters appeared in court on Monday on charges of espionage, AFP reported on Monday.

    The report said the 12 journalists pleaded not guilty to the charges and their trial was set for 25 November, on charges that could see them sentenced for up to 20 years in jail if convicted.

    The charges arise out of an article published by the newspaper in March questioning Zambia’s capability to defend itself against attack by Angola. The article followed a diplomatic stand-off between Zambia and its war-torn neighbour Angola, which claimed that Zambia was allowing the rebel UNITA movement to use its territory to ship weapons and supplies for its war with Angola’s government.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join