(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: ARTICLE 19 CONDEMNS FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON ZIMBABWE’S MEDIA ARTICLE 19 has released a report criticising a Bill now before the Zimbabwean Parliament that will significantly extend government control over the independent media. ARTICLE 19 calls on the Parliament not to pass the Bill into […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release:
ARTICLE 19 CONDEMNS FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON ZIMBABWE’S MEDIA
ARTICLE 19 has released a report criticising a Bill now before the Zimbabwean Parliament that will significantly extend government control over the independent media. ARTICLE 19 calls on the Parliament not to pass the Bill into law.
The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill 2001 would grant a broad range of restrictive powers over the media to a Commission under the control of the Minister of Information. Despite its name, the Bill does very little to ensure access to information and contains only limited provisions on privacy.
Our analysis indicates a number of areas where the Bill breaches international standards on freedom of expression. Key problems include the following:
* severe restrictions on the right to access information;
* strengthened government control over all media outlets and any business disseminating media products or even video or audio recordings;
* the requirement for all individual journalists to obtain government accreditation;
* the prohibition on foreign journalists and foreign media ownership; and
* excessive restrictions on the content of what the media may publish or broadcast.
ARTICLE 19 condemns these attempts to control the independent media and calls on the Parliament to refuse to pass this regressive Bill into law.
Toby Mendel, Head of ARTICLE 19’s Law Programme, said:
“The timing of the Media Bill, just prior to the presidential elections scheduled for March of this year, makes these concerns all the more poignant, given the crucial importance of freedom of expression to free and fair elections”.
1. Copies of the briefing are available on the ARTICLE 19 website, www.article19.org/docimages/1260.doc.
2. ARTICLE 19 released a 3-page briefing on this legislation on 11 January [see IFEX alert of 11 January 2002]. Today’s report is a detailed legal analysis, critiquing the Bill from the perspective of international law.
