(MISA/IFEX) – The Zimbabwean government may declare a state of emergency if calls for sanctions succeed in Europe and the United States, “The Herald” and “The Daily News” reported on 6 April 2001. Speaking in parliament on Thursday 5 April, Minister of Foreign Affairs Stan Mudenge said that if a state of emergency is imposed, […]
(MISA/IFEX) – The Zimbabwean government may declare a state of emergency if calls for sanctions succeed in Europe and the United States, “The Herald” and “The Daily News” reported on 6 April 2001.
Speaking in parliament on Thursday 5 April, Minister of Foreign Affairs Stan Mudenge said that if a state of emergency is imposed, rule by decree will become the norm and parliament and the constitution will be rendered ineffective.
The United States Senate is currently studying a bill termed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Bill. If the bill is passed, Zimbabwe will be placed under sanctions, which will only be lifted if the country meets the demands of the United States government, which centre on the restoration of the rule of law and observance of human rights. The European Union has hinted that it might also consider imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe. Speaking to “The Herald”, Solomon Nkiwane of the University of Zimbabwe said that the government’s stated intention to declare a state of emergency if sanctions are imposed should be taken seriously.
State of emergency legislation is among those laws seen as hindering media freedom in Zimbabwe. If the government invokes the law, journalists and media houses would find it difficult to operate freely.
