MISA monitors media freedom

It is now more than a year since Zimbabwe adopted a new constitution, but not much has happened with regards to re-aligning media laws in line with its provisions, says the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA). More than 400 laws have been identified for realignment.

“While the Constitution now provides for media freedom, freedom of expression and citizens right to access to information, the country’s statutes are still littered with a plethora of laws that hinder enjoyment of these rights. Laws such as the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Public Order and Security Act (POSA), Broadcasting Services Act (BSA), Official Secrets Act and Censorship and Entertainment Controls Act, are some of the laws whose provisions are ultra vires the Constitution,” says MISA-Zimbabwe.

The Ministry of Justice announced last month that it had completed the drafts of 200 of the laws in question, with AIPPA being among those subject to review. Other than that, not much progress has been made.

“It is against this seeming lack of political will to democratise the media landscape in sync with the new constitution that the country continues to witness the harassment and arrest of journalists on duty with impunity,” says the institute.

During the past three months, eight cases involving the arrest, assault, bans or threats against journalists on duty were recorded.

“We find these developments particularly worrying given that no single case pertaining to media freedom violations was recorded during the same period in 2013. Even more worrying is the involvement of the police and law enforcement agents (in five of the cases) as well as the threats issued by senior Zanu (PF) and government officials against the media,” says MISA.

“These violations clearly demonstrate that Zimbabwe is still far from meeting the democratic benchmarks of the African Commission’s Declaration on the Principles of Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa.”

Post published in: Human Rights
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