Delivering a statement on the state of the right of freedom of expression and access to information in Zimbabwe during the ongoing 53rd ACHPR session in Banjul, The Gambia, on 12 September 2013, the MMPZ’s Molly Chimhanda, also castigated the police’s confiscation and ban of shortwave radio sets.
“We are concerned by the raids and confiscation of radio sets from some organisations and individuals by the police over the past month….by the police who want to restrict access to alternative sources of information to a significant portion of Zimbabweans ahead of elections…” said Chimhanda.
In response , the Government of Zimbabwe through Mr Maxwell Ranga, acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice, denied that people had been arrested in connection with the radio sets.
Ranga said as far as he was concerned, the only crimes committed regarding the radio sets was their “smuggling” into Zimbabwe without duty being paid for. He accused non-governmental organisations of stage managing the “crimes” towards the holding of the ACHPR session so that they could have something to report on during the session.
Post published in: News