Republic of Malawi
Head of state and government: Bakili Muluzi
Capital: Lilongwe
Population: 11.6 million
Official languages: Chichewa, English
Death penalty: retentionist
Police used tear gas and live ammunition against a demonstration, killing one student. Journalists were assaulted, threatened and arrested for publishing articles critical of the government. Parliament petitioned to remove three High Court judges from office after they made rulings either perceived to be politically biased or which challenged the supremacy of Parliament.
Background
Amid popular protests, the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) party stepped up its campaign for constitutional changes to allow President Bakili Muluzi to run for a third term. Religious leaders denounced "state-sponsored violence" aimed at silencing government critics, including the church. Malawi's Human Rights Commission reported that political violence, ethnic intolerance and other forms of human rights violations rose some 60 per cent over the previous year.
Excessive use of force
Police continued to use excessive force, using tear gas and live ammunition to disperse peaceful demonstrators. Torture by police officers continued, but only a few cases came to public attention.
- In November, popular reggae musician Evison Matafale died in police custody three days after police arrested him for writing an allegedly seditious letter to President Muluzi. The death led to protests in several towns and cities. President Muluzi appointed a commission to investigate the death, although its composition was questioned by civil society groups. In December, police used tear gas and live ammunition in Zomba against unarmed demonstrators protesting in front of parliamentarians at the death of Evison Matafale. Police officers fatally shot Faikizo Phiri, and seriously injured one other demonstrator. A government inquiry into the death was initiated.
Journalists suffered threats and reprisals for publishing articles critical of the government.
In February, police arrested five journalists from the Daily Times newspaper for publishing articles considered "false and the work of alarmists". President Muluzi later ordered that the charges be dropped. Newspaper editor Martines Namigha and the owner of a printing press were briefly arrested in May on similar charges. In August, UDF officials allegedly threatened journalist John Saini for writing articles critical of the party.
Judicial independence threatened
In a move that undermined judicial independence at the highest levels, parliamentarians voted in November to impeach three High Court judges for "incompetence" or "misbehaviour" after each of them had made rulings in separate cases perceived to be politically biased or which challenged the government. The parliamentary motion flouted an earlier High Court ruling by Justice Bathiel Chiudza Banda, who had ordered that the impeachment proceedings be halted until a constitutionally mandated investigation had concluded.
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