The Lesotho Court of Appeal has ruled that three journalists who had been banned from working following a dispute with their former editor should be allowed to set up their own newspaper.
Abel Chapatarongo, Shakeman Mugari and Caswell Tlali were reporters at the Lesotho Times until their resignation in 2013. They decided to set up their own newspaper, The Post, as they felt that the Lesotho Times limited their editorial independence.
However, the owner of the Times, Basildon Peta, alleged that the journalists knew business secrets and obtained a court order prohibiting them from setting up their own outlet or practicing journalism for 12 months. The order threatened the livelihoods of the journalists, made worse by delays in the judicial process which left them unable to appeal for over a year.
With financial support from the Media Legal Defence Initiative and others, the three journalists eventually appealed. In a standard-setting judgment, the Court of Appeal held that the journalists should never have been prohibited from practicing journalism and that it was “simply not acceptable” that the High Court had delayed delivering judgment on the matter, especially since the livelihood of the journalists had been at stake.
Abel Chapatarongo stressed the importance of the ruling: “This is not just a victory for The Post. It is a victory for all who dream of breaking the chains of tyranny and start their own business enterprises.”
Recent News
Mamunur Rashid Nomani charged with violating Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act
Journalist Mamunur Rashid Nomani, editor of the local online news portal Barishal Khobor, has been charged with violating Bangladesh’s Digital Security Act (DSA), following an accusation claiming that he secretly filmed the mayor of Barisal and his family. Nomani rejects this, alleging instead that he and two of his acquaintances – Kamrul Mridha, working for […]
Media Defence extends partnership with three organisations in sub-Saharan Africa
As part of Media Defence’s project Empowering Women in Digital Rights Advocacy, we are building a strong legal defence network in sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this goal, we are providing financial assistance to organisations to establish legal aid units or media defence centres. We are excited to announce that, as part of this project, we are extending […]
15 Years of Impact: Internet Shutdowns
This year marks Media Defence’s 15th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, we will be taking a look at the ways in which freedom of expression has been threatened around the world, and how we have sought to protect it. The internet has become an essential part of modern life. It has transformed the way we […]