An increase in political tension following President Edgar Lungu’s reelection in 2016 has been used as a pretext to drastically restrict the freedom to inform and gag the independent press. The authorities closed the most important independent newspaper, The Post, in June 2016 and arrested members of its staff. Several radio and TV stations had their licenses withdrawn in August 2016. In order to prosecute journalists, the government either uses financial pretexts (such as failure to pay taxes in the case of The Post) or the various laws regulating defamation and sedition. Amid criticism of its growing dictatorial tendencies, the government has banned the media from interviewing opposition politicians. Journalists censor themselves because they are not sure whether their publications will lead to judicial proceedings.