HRDC sues MBC over ‘terrorist’ remarks
Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) has said it will file summons against the public broadcaster Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) for alleged defamation after describing the rights coalition as a terrorist group.
HRDC was allegedly labelled as a terrorist group in one of MBC news bulletin following one of its nationwide demonstrations.
Lawyer for HRDC, Wesley Mwafulirwa, said they wrote MBC demanding a retraction within five days or face litigation but the broadcaster did not respond.
“We are now proceeding to submit our summons to court for our case,” Mwafulirwa told Nyasa Times.
MBC director general Aubrey Sumbuleta, who has been accused of impunity from different section of the society, could not comment on the impending lawsuit.
HRDC organised nationwide demonstrations and the radio station, in its news bulletin, described the coalition in Chichewa as ‘bungwe lazawuchifwamba’.
The lawyer said in its literal sense, the statement meant ‘HRDC is a terrorist organisation’.
He pointed out that description was also once made by President Peter Mutharika.
HRDC organised demonstrations, which government has always condemned, to force authorities do something on reports that police officers sexually abused women and girls in Msundwe, Lilongwe following violent anti-Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) chairperson Jane Ansah protests in which a police officer was killed.
Apa ndiye ndiwo zafuwa ku MBC. Leaders teach your subordinates how to speak otherwise the consequences can be dire.
and we Malawians we want tha dpp tv mbc closed emmediately