WINDHOEK, 18 Apr – The Editors’ Forum of Namibia (EFN) has called on the Namibian Central Intelligence Service (NCIS) to withdraw its court case against The Patriot newspaper and its editor Mathias Haufiku with immediate effect.
In a statement released on Monday, the EFN also condemned “the use of old apartheid draconian laws to sensor and silence the Namibian media”.
The NCIS last week approached the High Court to prevent The Patriot from publishing a story disclosing properties belonging to the intelligence service, claiming it would jeopardise national security.
These properties reportedly include two farms, a house in Windhoek and a bed and breakfast facility in Swakopmund.
The EFN said although the hearing was postponed to 20 April to give The Patriot an opportunity to respond to the application, the NCIS “succeeded in using the draconian 1982 Protection of Information Act to stop the publication of the story.”
The EFN said it agreed with the view of the Namibia Media Trust (NMT) “that the specific Act is unconstitutional as it violates both freedom of speech and the media” and should have been scrapped a long time ago.
“It is a shame that an apartheid law is still on Namibia’s statute books and is being used by the current government to silence the media and promote secrecy,” EFN said.
They viewed the action by the NCIS as contradicting President Hage Geingob’s sentiments on World Press Freedom Day last year when he said that “as long as [he] is given the mandate to lead Namibia, freedom of the press is guaranteed”.
Geingob was also quoted as having said that the Namibian media is part and parcel of the governance architecture, with the responsibility of ensuring that the elected officials are held accountable and deliver on the promises made. He further said there was a need for the Namibian media to be the freest in the world.
The action of the NCIS is being described by the forum as stifling transparency and accountability in the name of national security, while also going against the Harambee Prosperity Plan which aspires to keep Namibia number one in Africa on the World Press Freedom Index.
NAMPA
EFN calls on NCIS to withdraw action against The Patriot
37 comments
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More here to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] There you will find 7393 more Information to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Info on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you will find 94457 additional Info on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More here to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More on on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More Information here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Info to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you will find 3755 additional Information on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Info to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More Info here to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More Information here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More Information here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Information to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More Information here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More Info here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you can find 92874 additional Information on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] There you will find 28468 more Info to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More Information here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Info on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More Info here on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you can find 56113 additional Info to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you will find 38768 additional Information to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Info to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you can find 88420 more Information to that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Here you can find 71201 additional Information on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Find More on that Topic: namibiadailynews.info/efn-calls-on-ncis-to-withdraw-action-against-the-patriot/ […]