Zambia: Judge Grants Bail to Arrested Zambian Journalists

The Post editor Fred M'membe, left, and reporter Mukosha Funga were arrested by police.

Vienna — A Zambian judge today granted bail to The Post editor Fred M'membe and Post journalist Mukosha Funga, local sources have informed the International Press Institute (IPI).

M'membe and Funga are now scheduled to appear again in court for an initial hearing on August 17, according to Ernest Chanda, executive secretary of the Press Freedom Committee of The Post Newspapers. Chanda indicated that the office of Zambia's Director of Public Prosecution had reportedly yet to determine whether to proceed with the case.

Zambian media reported that bail was set at 30,000 Zambian kwacha each (approx. €4,400).

IPI Director of Press Freedom Programmes Scott Griffen said: "We welcome the decision to grant bail to IPI World Press Freedom Hero Fred M'membe and Mukosha Funga, but we reiterate our demand for these spurious charges to be dropped immediately."

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