Media crackdown in Lesotho as radio station banned for a few weeks

MASERU, Lesotho

Lesotho's privately owned radio station 357 FM has been taken off the air and will only return to broadcasting on 10 January in what that country's Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) says is a gag on media freedom.

The station's suspension stems from failing to comply with a directive from the Lesotho Communications Authority's (LCA) Broadcasting Disputes and Resolution Panel.

Professor Nqosa Mahao, leader of the opposition Basotho Action Party (BAP), filed the complaint, accusing the radio station of waging a campaign of character assassination against him.

The height of 357 FM's troubles was on 14 November when police arrested and allegedly tried to suffocate Lebese Molati, a current affairs presenter, over a statement he made during a broadcast about missing police guns.

Molati told the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) he feared for his life.

“I am not safe anymore. I was arrested and detained. They did not charge me. They just told me they will come and arrest me if they want.” He said.

It was widely reported in Lesotho's local media that about 75 guns were stolen from the Mafeteng police station armoury – with inside help from corrupt police officers.

Three police officers confessed to having stolen some of the guns and selling them to an outfit called the Famo Gang.

Another journalist, Teboho Ratalane from People's Choice FM (PCFM), a few days later found himself at the mercy of police officers who raided the station also asking him about the 75 missing police guns story.When asked, police said the raid was an "investigative exercise".

“The arrest and alleged assault of a radio presenter and the questioning of journalists over a story of public interest relating to missing police guns, followed by the suspension of 357 FM's licence, is extremely worrying and reinforces perceptions that press freedom remains under threat in Lesotho.” Angela Quintal, CPJ's Africa programme coordinator said

Quintal said media pluralism was important considering that Lesotho will be holding watershed elections in 2022.

As such, the government of Lesotho should guarantee freedom of the press, a tenet of democracy, Quintal said.

"Instead of censoring the press and demanding that journalists violate their ethics by disclosing their sources, authorities should encourage a diversity of opinion and views so that citizens can make informed decisions as the kingdom goes to the polls next year," she said.

After queries by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the LCA said it used Sections 25(1) and 25(2) of the Lesotho Telecommunications Authority (Broadcasting) Rules of 2004 to impose a suspension on the radio station for refusing to abide by the directive.

The CPJ said 357 FM has since failed to get the decision overturned.

"357 FM appealed to the Magistrate's Court, which sent the case back to the regulator for determination," the organisation said.

According to Reporters Without Borders, in 2018 Lesotho joined countries that declared the criminalisation of defamation to be unconstitutional, but authorities have continued to increase pressure on the media and journalists.