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Date: September 06, 2005Persons/Institutions: Media and people of ZimbabweViolation: LegislationOn September 5 2005, the General Laws Amendment Bill was tabled before parliament. TheBill seeks to amend several other Acts including 2 sections of the Public Order and SecurityAct (POSA) by increasing the penalty fees against journalists convicted of publishing statementsthat undermine the authority of the President.The present fine of Z$100 000 will be increased to Z$10 million or five years imprisonment orboth such fine and imprisonment.The penalty fee under Section 16 which deals with undermining the authority of the Presidentwill be increased from $20 000 to Z$2,2 million or one-year imprisonment or both such fineand imprisonment.ALERTDate: September 16, 2005Persons/Institutions: Munhumutapa African Broadcasting Corporation (MABC)Violation: CensoredOn September 16 2005, the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) denied theMunhumutapa African Broadcasting Corporation (MABC) a licence to operate a commercialtelevision station. The BAZ ruled that MABC had failed to demonstrate that it had the financialmuscle to operate such a venture.The MABC is appealing the BAZ’s decision.ALERT (including update)Date: August 18, 2005Persons/Institutions: Bornwell Chakaodza, Valentine MapongaViolation: Victory (charges dropped)On August 18 2005, the State dropped charges against former editor Bornwell Chakaodza andreporter Valentine Maponga of Zimbabwe’s privately-owned weekly Standard newspaper. Thetwo were arrested and charged with “publishing false statements prejudicial to the State” underSection 15 of the draconian Public Order and Security Act (POSA).Chakaodza and Maponga were arrested on May 19, 2004, following the publication of a storyon May 16, 2004, which claimed that the family of the slain Trojan Nickel Mine boss, LeonardChimimba had blamed some unnamed government officials for his death.ALERTDate: August 05, 2005Persons/Institutions: Hosea ChipangaViolation: BeatenOn August 5 2005, prominent Zimbabwean musician Hosea Chipanga, was accused and grilledby members of the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO) for allegedly singing that PresidentMugabe would only vacate office upon his death.ALERT (including update)Date: August 04, 2005Persons/Institutions: Kelvin JakachiraViolation: DetainedOn August 4 2005, former Daily News journalist Kelvin Jakachira was arrested on charges ofpracticing without accreditation in terms of Section 83 (1) Chapter 10:27 of the Access toInformation and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). His trial was postponed to August 11 atthe request of his lawyer.So This Is Democracy? 2005-163-Media Institute of Southern Africa