Media Group Alarmed by Malawi Police Seizure of Journalists' Devices
If innocent, MISA-Malawi said the journalists "would have suffered mental torture, have their privacy violated and their sources and contacts compromised."
BLANTYRE, Malawi — The Media Institute of Southern Africa-Malawi (MISA-Malawi) expressed serious concern Wednesday about Malawian police confiscating phones and laptops from journalists at the state-run Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) as part of an investigation into a fake MBC Facebook page, writes Winston Mwale.
"We are concerned because the development raises a number of serious questions," MISA-Malawi said in a statement.
The group asked how the journalists were identified for investigation and said their confidential sources could be exposed, which would violate the country's Access to Information Act.
MISA-Malawi chair Golden Matonga said, "Correspondence between journalists and their sources is privileged information under Section 32(c) of the Access to Information (ATI) Act."
The organization also worried about the privacy of journalists' personal data stored on the seized devices, saying, "What about private and confidential personal information of these journalists? How safe is their private information that is on the mobile phones and laptops that the police have confiscated?"
While acknowledging police have the right to investigate potential crimes, MISA-Malawi said "the investigative process should be conducted sincerely and without abusing or torturing employees."
Matonga emphasized, "Without claiming immunity, the investigative process should be conducted sincerely and without abusing or torturing employees."
MBC management claimed "the police are conducting the investigation independently."
MISA-Malawi called on MBC and police to act "without any malice, prejudice or political inclinations."
It said it does not condone criminal acts but investigations must "respect the right to privacy and confidentiality of journalists and sources."
If innocent, MISA-Malawi said the journalists "would have suffered mental torture, have their privacy violated and their sources and contacts compromised."