Reporters Without Borders has condemned the arrest and detention of Zambian photo journalist, Salim Dawood.
Salim is the Zambian photo correspondent for the international agency AFP.
The photojournalist was arrested on the afternoon of Wednesday September 12 for taking pictures of a Zesco substation in Kamwala South.
Police confiscated Salim’s camera before detaining him at Kabwata Police Station around 17:30 hours.
He was released on bond about four hours later after the intervention of prominent Lusaka lawyer Keith Mweemba.
Police handed back the camera to Salim after deleting the images and making him pay an admission of guilt fine.
But in a tweet, Reporters Without Borders say making a journalist pay for his job is a violation of press freedom.
“#Zambia #RSF condemns yesterday’s arrest of @AFPAfrica Photographer for taking pictures of a power station. He was released after a few hours but still due to an admission of guilt. Making a #journalist pay for doing his job is a violation of #press freedom,” read the Reporters Without Borders tweet.
