US demands information on ’Abiti Manice’ arrest: UK-UTM calls for her release
United States (US) embassy in Lilongwe has said they are demanding information in the arrest of social media activist and vocal supporter of the United Transformation Movement (UTM) Manice Hale, popularly known as Manice Abiti William Dawood on Facebook, who was arrested at Kamuzu International Airport Tuesday.
US public affairs director at the American Embassy, Douglous Johnston, said they learnt that Hale, an American citizen, had been arrested while she was about to catch a flight back to the US where she is based and they are demanding information on her detention.
He said American Embassy’s consular officer visited Hale following her arrest.
“We have asked Malawian authorities for information and we are waiting for them to provide further information about Mrs Hale’s arrest,” said Johnston.
Police have accused Hale, who has been attending some rallies by Vice President Saulos Chilima led United Transformation Movement, for insulting President Peter Mutharika.
Her lawyer Nicely Msowoya confirmed that she has been charged with insulting the President of the Republic, particulary through her Facebook posts.
The lawyer said Police read out several Facebook posts on her page when reading out charges to her.
The law of insulting the President has been subject of debate in recent days with legal experts saying its archaic and inconsistent with the democratic culture while rights activist say it is “draconian.”
Hale during an interview with Times TV last week claimed she is related to the Mutharika, saying her mother was a sister to the late first lady Ethel Nyoni Mutharika, who was the late president Bingu wa Mutharika’s first wife.
Meanwhile, in solidarity witth US-UTM counterparts and all members of UTM in Malawi and abroad, UTM-UK wing strongly condemns the arrest ‘Abiti Mnaice’.
In a statement issued by UTM-UK interim chairperson Kondi Bowoke Munthali and interim secretary Jubie Bagus, they are calling on Malawi government to release Abiti Manice Danwood immediately.
“UTM UK is appalled and disgusted that at a time when world leaders are advocating for no violence against women, Abiti Manice has been arrested for no apparent reason by the DPP government.
“It is especially appalling and particularly disgraceful to see violence at the airport perpetrated by a law enforcement officer against a female traveller whose only crime is that she does not support the DPP regime. UTM UK call this arrest deplorable and a set back to the freedom of choice and expression which is everyone’s fundamental right according to the constitution,” reads the statement made available to Nyasa Times.
Hale who was kept in an unknown location by police last night, is expected to appear in court Wednesday to be formally charged.
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Why these Aericans demand too much???? How many foreigners get locked each day in USA???? Too much noise these AMERICANS IN Africa!!!!
How many people are insulting the president? Is APM going to arrest them all? Watsala pang’ono kufa uyu. Ndatatu ndi ya Bingu ndi ana ake
Every country in the world even in America if you fond of insulting the president you should know that the law will follow you , so if there is a proof that manice insulted the president why not arresting her , and you nyasa times why always mumalemba nkhani mofuna kunyadzitsa DPP why? , let the police do there work proffetionaly not moonesa ngati alakwisa , you mean manice was doing good when insulting the President of our Nation? , mind you here in malawi we have a freedom of expretion not freedom of insulting President or any other people… Read more »
Kkkkkkkkk koma DPP, Uyu nde mwagwila wa moto mumulavula chifukwa ma sanctions sakudwetsatu uyu paja anati america first. Ask Turkey. Nde musationongele ndalamayi muzaisiye ilipomwe ilipa…akunenedwa trump nde kuli bwanji president wadziko losaukitsitsa pa dziko lapansi ngati lathuli? Asaaa! Zonjatanazi ikani patali bwana sizabwino, inuyo muzilemekeze kuti anthunso akulemekezeni,mukanyoza nde mukonzekele kunyozedwa!
Kenneth Bwanali & Gift, Do you mean it is ok for APM to be insulting other political leaders & a sin when it boomerangs? Stop this shit. APM must know that ‘Mfumu ndi kudzala’ and that ‘Mutu ukakula sulewa nkhonya.’ Othewise you are deliberately killing your APM as he is spending sleepless nights over trival things he can easily ignore and lose nothing. We all deserve respect not only this mtchona. Chisamakomere mbuzi kugunda galu ayi!
akatukwana president a ma bungwe chete koma vise versa Nde phokoso mxxxx
When APM and the mid night six were thrown in jail for the real crime he had committed he cried foul. And now he uses oppressive laws to jail people. You make me sick old man.
MIND YOU INSULT IS SUBJECTIVE NOT OBJECTIVE, SO CAN THE LAWS TELL US THE LIST OF INSULTS NOT TO SAY THE THE PRESIDENT SO THAT WNEN ARRESTED WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT TO ANSWER.
Manyenga nyenga a minister Bright awa….. walora kuti ex wake azunzike????
Patatsala ma week owelengeka Bingu asanamwalire, anayambapo zomamamga anthu on similar charges. Kwainu anzathu who are low on memory tikukumbutseni kumangidwa kwa Ralph Kasambara komanso Atupele Muluzi that acted as a precursor to his cardiac arrest. Madame Gertrude Mutharika, chonde akokeni jacket amuna anuwo, akusiyani pa siwa akapitiriza zomwe ayambazo. Asawanamizidwe ndi achina Chimanga. They will run away to far away countries where they have been hiding stollen government money, abandoning the widow and your immediate family. Ine ndadandauliratu zainu pano. I will never drop a tear for you at that time because this would have been prevented by preventing… Read more »