ANGOLA AND MALAWI GOVERNMENTS INHIBIT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Human Rights organisations, the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR)
and Liga Angolana dos Direitos Humanos (LADH), are concerned about the
infringement of  human rights by governments of Angola and Malawi.

Recently the Angolan Minister of Information, Mr Pedro Hendrick Vaal
Neto, announced that his government had cancelled live television
coverage of the country's parliamentary debates.

The NSHR and the LADH found the decision to be a blatant violation of
the right to freedom of expression and press in Angola, because media
coverage promotes not only transparency but also a culture of democracy
by receiving and imparting uncensored information. This  action  came
while world wide celebrations of World Press Freedom Day were taking
place.  It is  not only contrary to the provision of article 19 of the
UDHR and ICCPR but also articles 32,33 and 35 of the Constitutional Law
of the Republic of Angola and specific principles on national
reconciliation of the Lusaka Protocol.

The other concern is the rationalisation of Malawian state departments
by the Malawian government,  including the Malawi Human Rights
Commission. The commission is primarily corncerned with the protection
of human rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the Malawian
Constitution.

The two organisations are calling upon other human rights organisations
in the SADC region and media rights institutions to highlight these
negative actions.

ENDS