Download - Media Institute of Southern Africa

State of the media in Southern Africa 2002
House and Honourable Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
Patrick Chinamasa stating their grave concerns over the implications of this
proposed law on freedom of expression and of the media in Zimbabwe.
Issued by
The Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe (MISA-Zimbabwe)
Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ)
The Independent Journalists Association (IJAZ)
The Foreign Correspondents (FCA)
Federation of African Media Women - Zimbabwe. (FAMWZ)
Press Statement
May 2, 2002
TOPIC: Arrest of Zimbabwean journalists
MISA-Zimbabwe condemns in the strongest words the detention of journalists
Lloyd Mudiwa, Collin Chiwanza and Andrew Meldrum on allegations of having
written falsehoods.
These allegations do not in any way correspond with the suffering, humiliation
and intimidation that is being perpetrated on the three journalists. The Zimbabwe
chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe) equally
condemns the utterances by Professor Jonathan Moyo [Minister of Information
and Publicity] on May 1, 2002, that the arrested journalists are criminals and
that his department has nothing to do with the arrests. Such words are unfortunate
and regrettable.
What needs to be mentioned is that it is the Minister’s department that came up
with this “law” which promotes lawlessness. Indeed as he said, this “law”
criminalizes the profession of journalism as witnessed by the recent spate and
wanton arrests of journalists. These arrests are reminiscent of the Rhodesia era
in every sense.
MISA-Zimbabwe therefore demands the immediate release of the three journalists
without any further delays. We note that there is no provision in the socalled
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act that allows the police
to hold journalists endlessly after charging them. These actions are a clear
sign of abuse of authority, harassment and lawlessness. MISA-Zimbabwe further
expresses deep concern over the statement made by the Minister of Information
and Publicity on Monday April 29 that parastatals must consider stopping
advertising in “The Daily News” and the rest of the private media.
2002
We note that this statement, although made in particular reference to a news
report, has wider implications for the sustainability of the whole independent
media. We also note that no reasonable policy decision can be made on the basis
of an isolated incident as mentioned in the statement.
294 So This Is Democracy?