Scores of international civic society organizations have signed a petition addressed to President Mokgweetsi Masisi decrying what they call efforts to interfere in the work of civil society.
The organizations said efforts to interfere in the work of civil society can be precursors to worse human rights violations that would affect civic space and the democratic credibility of the country, while also eroding Botswana’s history of positive engagement with civil society.
The signatories to the petition are Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC), Association of Caribbean Media Workers, Cambodian Centre for Independent Media (CCIM), Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI), Fundamedios – Andean Foundation for Media Observation and Study, Gambia Press Union, Independent Journalism Center (IJC), Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Pakistan Press Foundation, PEN International, South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM), and South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO).
The civil society organisations, who said they work to promote and defend freedom of expression and information as fundamental rights worldwide, “are writing to express our concern with the growing threats to civic space in Botswana and the resulting effect this would have on the right to freedom of association and assembly, and freedom of expression.”
They said Botswana has historically been considered a stable democracy in the region and as a result, “we are alarmed by reports that civil society organisations in the country could be facing interference in their work.”
Recently, the petitioners said, “an office holder of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party contested an influential position on the board of the Botswana chapter of The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).”
“This has the appearance of potential government interference – particularly as the same election also saw a sudden and dramatic increase in membership a few weeks prior, with an influential third-party paying for 600 membership subscriptions, likely with the hopes that this would impact the vote,” they said.
The organizations said efforts to interfere in the work of civil society can be precursors to worse human rights violations that would affect civic space and the democratic credibility of the country, while also eroding Botswana’s history of positive engagement with civil society.
“Earlier this year, government authorities also attempted to fast-track a new piece of legislation – the Criminal Procedure and Evidence (Controlled Investigation) Bill,” said the petitioners.
They said the Bill raised concerns that it would expand the government’s powers to intercept private communications without a warrant or public oversight, thereby opening the door to violations of privacy and increased surveillance of journalists, trade unionists, and activists.
“The Bill received international criticism for its draconian reach and has since been amended to establish some oversight on interception operations and outlaw the unauthorised interception of communications,” said the petitioners.
This, they said, came after public outrage and sustained advocacy by a coalition of civil society organisations, including MISA.
These developments in Botswana reflect pockets of emerging threats to civic space, they said. “Violations of freedom of association and assembly contravene international and regional human rights law and standards, including Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Articles 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights – both of which Botswana has ratified and has a legal obligation to uphold,” said the petitioners.
They said protection of freedom of assembly and association and freedom of expression without interference is also enshrined under Article 13 of Botswana’s Constitution, while Botswana’s National Policy For Non-Governmental Organisations promotes the value of an enabling environment “that recognizes, respects and preserves the independence, autonomy and constitutional rights of NGOs… [to] sustain the freedom of association, expression and conscience.”
The petitioners urged the Government of Botswana to uphold its national commitments and international human rights obligations by providing an enabling environment conducive to civic space, in accordance with national and international human rights standards. “This includes ensuring the freedom of civil society organisations to work independently without fear of interference; and including by government officials or associates,” reads the petition.
