Zimbabwe media repression comes under attack at WAN Congress

By Frank Chikowore

CAPE TOWN - The World Association of Newspapers (WAN), which is holding its 60th World Newspaper Congress in Cape Town, South Africa, has condemned President Robert Mugabe's “repressive government policy against a free press in Zimbabwe” urging his administration to stop interfering with the operations of the country’s media.

WAN's call came as Gift Phiri, the chief correspondent of a London-based weekly, The Zimbabwean – which is circulated in Zimbabwe - was being arraigned before a Harare magistrate on Monday on charges of violating sections of the country's draconian media law, AIPPA.

Phiri, who was charged for practising journalism without accreditation as required under AIPPA and publishing falsehoods, is expected to stand trial on July 9 at the Harare Magistrates Court.

Phiri alleges that he was tortured while in police custody when he was arrested in April.

Zimbabwe is ranked by the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as one of the worst countries in the world for journalists to operate in.

“The recurrent violations of journalists’ basic rights and the complete disregard for the rule of law of the Zimbabwean leadership and law enforcement agencies are unacceptable,” the WAN Board said in a resolution here during the Congress which is running concurrently with the World Editors' Forum.

WAN is also expressed concern at the recent arrest and assault of lawyers in Harare. The Association said it was alarmed by the recent assaults against human rights lawyers representing journalists in court.

Law Society of Zimbabwe president, Beatrice Mtetwa was among a group of top lawyers assaulted by the Zimbabwe police when the legal practitioners had gathered for a scheduled demonstration outside the High Court in Harare.

“WAN is appalled by the 29 March abduction and murder of former Zimbabwe state broadcaster ZBC cameraman Edward Chikombo, whose killing might be related to the leaking of footage of police brutality against opposition activists earlier that month.   

WAN also condemned recent threats of reprisal made by the Ministry of Information to foreign correspondents over what the department claimed to be fabricated stories.

“In its policy to suppress press freedom and to asphyxiate the very last private media, the government is assisted by the Media Information Commission (MIC), which disrupts independent newspapers and strips journalists from their accreditation" said the resolution.

“In this context, WAN wishes to praise the rulings regularly made by Zimbabwean courts, including the Harare High Court, to quash abusive MIC decisions”.

The Board of WAN called on President Mugabe's government to firmly commit to the rule of law.

WAN, which is based in the French capital, Paris, is a global organisation for the newspaper industry, which defends and promotes press freedom world-wide.

WAN represents 18,000 newspapers while its membership includes 77 national newspaper associations, newspaper companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 12 news agencies and 10 regional and world-wide press groups.