By Kellys Kaunda
“WE WERE JUST HELPING THE GRZ WITH INVESTIGATIONS” ZED PODCAST DUO
Was civil society wrong in its demand that the two presenters who had been reported as having been picked by Zambia police be released? My answer is an emphatic NO!
Was their a denial of the report that they had been taken into police custody as part of police investigations? The answer is that there was no denial.
The reports by News Diggers, Nkani and other social media pages were correct. Here is the timeline. Zed Podcast had initially announced the interview with the former Intelligence Chief and the topics to be expected.
Then, almost from the blues, they announced that they were not airing or sharing the interview “due to circumstances beyond their control”. Then some social media outlets alleged that the decision was forced on Zed Podcast by the IBA.
But IBA swiftly issued a statement denying this allegation saying it does not censor editorial content.
Then Xavier Chungu was arrested by the police. This was followed by reports all over social media that the presenters of the Zed Podcast had been been taken into police custody – some said arrested, others simply said detained as part of police investigations.
Civil society came together and issued a statement demanding the release of the Zed Podcast duo because the action borderd on violating freedom of expression.
The duo is then released from police custody after 48hrs or thereabout followed by an official statement that investigations have been concluded hence their release.
A release presupposes the existence of a detention in the first place. There can be no release without a detention.
The duo, on their part, since the police action on May 28, posts the following on their page:
“Free men we stand, under the flag of our land… And we are back like musana. We were not charged. We were not under arrest. We were not given 25 years. We were just helping the GRZ with some investigations. That’s all.
Have a great week fam. More great episodes coming your way”.
Not surprising, the reactions to this post are mixed – some accusing civil society to conclusions while others are question the motive behind the Zed Podcast post.
The questions that must be asked are as follows: (1) was civil society wrong in showing their solidarity with the duo? (2) wasn’t there reasonable grounds to justify the reaction of civil society? (3) Has there been a time in the history of this country when those taken into custody by the police ever posted a statement like the one posted by the duo sounding like civil society and anybody who showed them solidarity was wrong and overreacting? (4) When police take you into custody as part of investigations, other than police cells, where else do they place you? Safe House? (7) Are police custody facilities so humane and nice that you can actually come out jubilant? (8) Isn’t there reasonable grounds to hold with a pinch of salt the jest and the subtle streak of triumph and jubilation in the tone of the statement of the Zed Podcast duo?
Here is the cold hard truth: when police take you into custody “as part of investigations”, it has a chilling effect on media freedoms and freedom of expression.
To all media practioners and those who cherish freedom of expression, do not take lightly actions of this kind by the police.
According to the Windhoek Declaration of 1991 that gave birth to the Media Institute of Southern Africa, MISA, such actions are the textbook definition of police intimidation. Media Houses that are members of Misa-Zambia routinely report them.
To everyone in the media space, understand this one uncompromising rule: sources are to be protected at the pain of imprisonment. This is the holy grail of journalism and media freedom. Never ever do anything that will place your source in danger or else, they will begin to shun invitations for interviews.
And if sources begin to shun interviews, democracy, the marketplace of ideas will not only run dry, it will die.
Be of good courage and resist any authority that seeks to compromise these principles by talking you into making light of your being taken into custody.