Zimbabwe

(MISA/IFEX) – The editor-in-chief of the “Daily News”, Geoff Nyarota, assistant editor Bill Saidi and journalists John Gambanga and Sam Munyavi were released on 15 August 2001, after police dropped the charge of “publishing a false statement,” according to the Law and Order Maintenance Act (LOMA), Section 50 (2) (a), and substituted it with the […]

(CPJ/IFEX) – The following is a CPJ press release: ZIMBABWE: Popular editor and three other journalists arrested New York, August 15, 2001 — Police arrested Daily News editor Geoff Nyarota at 12:15 a.m. this morning at his home in Harare, according to international news reports confirmed by CPJ sources in Zimbabwe. Police later detained Daily […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The editor-in-chief of “The Daily News”, Geoff Nyarota, was arrested the night of 14 August 2001 by police of the Law and Order Division. Nyarota was picked up after the newspaper ran a story on farm invasions over the weekend of 11 August. The lead story, which appeared on 14 August, alleges that […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo has attacked the editor and journalists of the “Zimbabwe Independent”, a weekly business newspaper, accusing them of colluding with foreign correspondents, especially journalists from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). In a stinging attack on the information minister, the editor of the newspaper has denied […]

(WPFC/IFEX) – The following letter from Zimbabwe Minister of Information Jonathan Moyo is in response to an earlier WPFC protest letter to President Robert Mugabe (see annex) regarding the proposed Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill. It is followed by the WPFC’s reply to Moyo’s letter. 31 July 2001 Marilyn Greene Executive Director […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Zimbabwe’s independent newspapers have rapped the government for appointing a partisan committee to look into professionalism standards and journalistic ethics in the country, “The Financial Gazette” reported in its 26 July – 1 August 2001 issue. The committee, which was appointed on Monday 23 July, has been criticised for being a group of […]

(IPI/IFEX) – In a 27 July 2001 letter to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, IPI deplored the latest decision by the Zimbabwean government to suspend the accreditation of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) correspondents in the country. On the basis of information provided to IPI, on 26 July, the state-owned newspaper “The Herald” published an official letter […]

(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, RSF protested the suspension of accreditation for British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalists. RSF asked the minister to repeal the measure and allow foreign correspondents to work freely throughout Zimbabwe. “The authorities try to control information inside and outside the country by any means,” said Robert […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On Tuesday 24 July 2001 Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe said his government would table The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Bill in the forthcoming second parliamentary session that was officially opened on 24 July. “The Herald” quoted the president as saying that the parliamentary session would consider the Freedom of Information […]

(MISA/IFEX) – “Zimbabwe Mirror” editor-in-chief Ibbo Mandaza has obtained a High Court provisional which bars “The Daily News” from further publishing material relating to his private property, according to reports in “The Herald” and “The Zimbabwe Mirror”. The newspapers reported that Justice Hungwe handed down the order on Thursday 19 July 2001, after an urgent […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Zimbabwe’s Manicaland Provincial Governor Oppar Muchinguri threw out private media journalists from a land resettlement meeting on Thursday 19 July 2001, on the grounds that government officials were about to discuss sensitive issues. According to reports in the “Daily News”, journalists Patrick Mwale of the “Daily News” and Muchaneta Manyengavana of the “Financial […]

(MISA/IFEX) – Mercedes Sayagues, the foreign correspondent of the South African “Mail & Guardian” who was deported from Zimbabwe on 18 February 2001, has filed a legal challenge with the High Court of Zimbabwe, arguing that her deportation by the Zimbabwean government was illegal, “The Daily News” reported on 17 July. The newspaper reports that […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 July 2001, three journalists, cameraman Chris Mazivanghanga of the Associated Press agency, photographer Tsvangirai Mukwazhi of “The Daily News”, and reporter Cornelius Nduna of “The Sunday Standard”, were arrested for allegedly interfering with police investigations while covering an ongoing strike against economic mismanagement and a rise in fuel prices, in Harare. […]

(MISA/IFEX) – On 3 July 2001, “The Herald” reported that the National Development Association (NDA) has threatened to sue the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) for terminating its live television programme Talk to the Nation. The newspaper reports that NDA’s lawyers, Dube Manikai & Hwacha, wrote a letter to ZBC stating that the programme’s cancellation was […]

(IPI/IFEX) – In a 28 June 2001 letter to President Robert Mugabe, IPI expressed its deep concern over the Zimbabwean government’s refusal to renew a foreign journalist’s accreditation. According to information provided to IPI, the Zimbabwean government has refused to extend the temporary work permit of the Harare correspondent for the “Daily Telegraph”, David Blair. […]

(IPI/IFEX) – In a 26 June 2001 letter to President Robert Mugabe, IPI expressed concern over recent statements made by government ministers regarding the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill. These statements appear to show that the Zimbabwean government has decided not to consult interested parties prior to the enactment of the bill. According […]