Namibia: Media face treason trial gag

On October 7 2004, the state prosecution in the Caprivi high treason trial asked the court to place a partial ban on the media's reporting of the trial. State Advocate Taswald July asked Judge Elton Hoff to order the media not to reveal the identity of the third witness the State intends to call. The state's prosecution team stressed the fact that they were neither asking for a total ban on the media reporting on the trial proceedings, nor on the publication of the testimony given by the witness. Human rights and media activist however questioned the efficacy of the order, if granted, as it only seeks to prevent the media from reporting on and disclosing the identity of one of the witnesses. The public, however, is allowed free access to both courts and prisons. All 120 treason suspects are in custody and being tried at Grootfontein.

BACKGROUND
In the early hours of August 2, 1999, members of a secessionist group, the Caprivi Liberation Army (CLA), launched an armed attack on government forces and buildings in the regional capital of Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi region of north eastern Namibia. According to official sources, they attacked the police headquarters, the local offices of the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, an army base and an immigration post. In the attacks, 11 people were killed, at least six of whom were members of the security forces. That evening, President Samuel Nujoma declared a State of Emergency. A curfew was imposed in Katima Mulilo and Namibia's borders with Angola, Zambia and Botswana were closed. Mishake Muyongo, leader of the CLA, was granted political asylum in Denmark.