Mugabe signs restrictive media bill
March 15, 2002—In his first major act since his controversial reelection, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe today signed into law the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill. The new law requires all journalists in Zimbabwe to be licensed by a new Media and Information Commission. Under the law, only citizens or permanent residents can…
Foreign journalists denied visas
Your Excellency: Given the fact that Zimbabwean authorities had threatened to bar foreign correspondents from covering the March 9 and 10 presidential elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is pleased that a number of foreign news reporters have been granted accreditation. However, we remain concerned that the accreditation process was applied selectively and that some foreign correspondents have been denied entry into Zimbabwe because of their professional affiliation or critical reporting on the country’s deepening political crisis.
Newspaper Office BombedNewsvendor accused of delivering anthrax to vice president
New York, February 11, 2002—The Bulawayo city bureau of the independent Daily News was bombed in the early hours of Monday morning, CPJ has learned. At about 3 a.m., two gasoline bombs were thrown at the Daily News building from a moving vehicle. No one was hurt in the explosion, and the office suffered only…
Government set to amend restrictive new media law
New York, January 17, 2002—After a week of intense international pressure, Zimbabwe’s government delayed its vote yesterday on a harsh media bill that would stifle dissent during the run-up to the presidential elections, scheduled for early March, until certain changes can be made to the legislation, according to Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa.
CPJ condemns pending media bill
New York, January 7, 2002—The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns legislation before Zimbabwe’s Parliament that would create a rigid system to register and regulate media companies and the journalists who work for them. Parliament is expected to vote on the legislation this week. The bill, called the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy…
Foreign Correspondents Association created
New York, December 13, 2001—The Committee to Protect Journalists applauds the creation on December 7 of the Zimbabwe Foreign Correspondents Association (ZFCA), which has vowed to challenge a restrictive new press law in court. The draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill would allow only Zimbabwean citizens to work for foreign media. A…
New security bill may restrict independent press, state paper reports
New York, November 28, 2001—In a November 21 article, the state-owned Herald newspaper reported that the Zimbabwean government had drafted a Public Order and Security Bill intended to replace the harsh Law and Order Maintenance Act of 1960. The bill is expected to reach Parliament by the end of the year. Ostensibly meant to cover…
EDITOR RELEASED
New York, November 9, 2001—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) welcomes the release of Geoff Nyarota, editor-in-chief of the Daily News, and Wilf Mbanga, the former chief executive officer of the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), the paper’s publisher. Nyarota and Mbanga were arrested on the morning of November 8 and taken to the headquarters…
CPJ condemns arrest of editor
Your Excellency, The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemns today’s arrests and detentions of Geoff Nyarota, editor-in-chief of the Daily News, Zimbabwe’s only independent daily newspaper, and Wilf Mbanga, the former chief executive officer of the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), the company that publishes the Daily News.