Civil society organizations (CSOs) in the country have called on President Peter Mutharika to strongly denounce threats directed at Civil rights advocates, Political commentators like Chinsinga and journalists who are critical of his Government.
In joint statement released on Thursday, March 24, the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) and Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) say death threats against Chinsinga and others should not be a laughing matter.
Chinsinga started receiving the threats after his presentation at the fourth stakeholders meeting that was organized by the Public Affairs Committee in the commercial city of Blantyre.
However Minister Jappie Mhango, dismissed the claims by Blessings Chinsinga, stating that Chinsinga “invites trouble” for himself by always blaming the Mutharika-led administration.
Mhango has described Chinsinga’s claims as a “pack of lies” from someone who was just looking to “buy cheap public sympathy”.
The development followed from a statement recently released by the Malawi chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), condemning the apparent lack of tolerance for free speech in the country.
According to the statement released last week, the Organisation appealed to Mutharika to distance his administration from incidents that threatened democracy and tarnished his image.
