The Botswana Media and Allied Workers Union (BOMAWU) learnt with shock the recent arrest, detention and threats leveled against three investigative journalists working for Ink Centre for Investigative Journalism. The trio, Joel Konopo, Ntibinyane Ntibinyane and Kaombona Kanani were allegedly arrested and have been threatened with death by the security and intelligence agencies. The incident is said to have happened in or around Mosu village in the Boteti Sub District where the three comrades were carrying out an investigative piece.
As a trade union for media workers in Botswana which advocates for ethical adherence and professionalism in the media industry as well as advancement of media freedom and freedom of expression in general, BOMAWU is utterly disturbed by the Wednesday incident as its violates the very foundation of a free media.
BOMAWU would like to extend its solidarity gesture to the three comrades and wish to encourage its members to continue with their noble role of informing the members of public on any issues of public interest including suspected corruption acts by the powers that be. Comrades should not fear anyone but report fairly and professionally as they have always done.
BOMAWU wish to state that it has been observing disturbing incidents in which journalists are threatened or intimated when they try to do their job as witnessed in an ongoing case in which the editor of Sunday Standard newspaper is facing sedition charges while a senior reporter of the same paper has also fled the country in fear of losing his life to the security agents.
As a results, the union also takes this time to remind the powers that be that the guarantors of a free media across the world is well documented through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights article 19 and progressive constitutions of countries including Botswana.
Kindest Regards.
Victor Baatweng
BOMAWU SECRETARY GENERAL
