Journalist Arrested and Charged Under Cyber Crimes Act

LUSAKA – A prominent journalist with the state-owned Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC), Macpherson Mukuka, has been apprehended and charged under the contentious Cyber Crimes Act, sparking widespread alarm among media practitioners and human rights organisations both locally and internationally. Mukuka was reportedly arrested on July 17 in Lusaka and has since been detained at Kabwata Police Station, facing accusations of publishing a secretly recorded audio conversation in violation of Section 10 of the Cyber Crimes Act No. 4 of 2025. The charges against Mukuka stem from an alleged incident between July 14 and 17, where he is accused of using the 'Earth Television Zambia' Facebook page to disseminate an audio recording of a private meeting involving several individuals. Police spokesperson Godfrey Chilabi confirmed that the journalist's actions are deemed to contravene the law which prohibits recording private conversations without prior notice. If convicted, Mukuka could face a substantial fine, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, penalties that underscore the severity with which authorities are applying the new legislation. This arrest comes at a particularly sensitive time for Zambia, just weeks before the nation is scheduled to hold general elections on August 13. Media freedom advocates, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Amnesty International, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have vehemently condemned Mukuka's detention, viewing it as a direct assault on press freedom and an attempt to stifle investigative journalism ahead of a crucial electoral period. They argue that such actions could have a chilling effect on journalists reporting on matters of public interest. Concerns are further amplified by the ongoing legal challenges to the constitutionality of the 2025 Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act. The Law Association of Zambia and the Chapter One Foundation have filed a petition challenging va