(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is deeply concerned by an announcement Minister of Information Chen Chimutengwende made in Parliament on 19 May indicating his intention to draw up legislation establishing a code of conduct for all journalists and imposing unspecified sanctions on any who defy it. The minister allegedly reported to the Parliament that his officials were […]
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is deeply concerned by an announcement Minister of
Information Chen Chimutengwende made in Parliament on 19 May indicating his
intention to draw up legislation establishing a code of conduct for all
journalists and imposing unspecified sanctions on any who defy it.
The minister allegedly reported to the Parliament that his officials were in
the process of drafting an “information policy” which would “establish
through an Act of Parliament a statutory media council.” The council would
be in a position to “register and sanction journalists who breach the code
of conduct,” he explained. The new code would apply to all media
“practitioners” whether in the state owned or private media.
IPI feels this would be a hugely regressive step for a country like Zimbabwe
which has in many ways shown itself to be one of Africa’s democratic
leaders. Self-regulation – codes of professional conduct drawn up by the
media and monitored by the media – is clearly the only method which
effectively monitors the media’s performance without legitimising concerns
regarding undue editorial interference.
IPI is also concerned about recent statements the minister made in
connection with regulating the operations of private sector media
organisations in Zimbabwe; particularly his proposal to forbid foreign
investment in the private media sector. As IPI understands the situation,
the media will be designated a “strategic sector” which in effect requires
potential investors or donors to gain approval from the Zimbabwe Investment
Centre before they can get financially involved in a Zimbabwean media
enterprise. IPI questions the motives behind this proposal. It is difficult
not to subscribe to the view held by many Zimbabwean journalists that this
policy is designed to keep the developing independent press weak and
isolated from any international influence.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the information minister:
to
immediately scrap this misguided policy
widely accepted that only the media can regulate the content of their
material, and that any other system is susceptible to abuse of power and
automatically opens the door to censorship
to
the plurality of published opinion and freedom of the press in Zimbabwe
Appeals To
Chen Chimutengwende
Minister of Information
Government of Zimbawe
Harare, Zimbabwe
Fax: +2634 707213
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
