(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release: **Updates IFEX alerts of 30 and 10 September, 19 July, 31 and 11 May, 15 March, 24, 12, 11, 10, 9 and 3 February, 29, 27, 25, 22, 21, 18, 15 and 13 January 1999** For immediate release: 4 October 1999 ORDEAL OF TORTURED […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is an ARTICLE 19 press release:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 30 and 10 September, 19 July, 31 and 11 May, 15
March, 24, 12, 11, 10, 9 and 3 February, 29, 27, 25, 22, 21, 18, 15 and 13
January 1999**
For immediate release: 4 October 1999
ORDEAL OF TORTURED ZIMBABWE JOURNALISTS CONTINUES
The Zimbabwe Supreme Court is today due to review the terms of bail of
journalists Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto, who face charges of ‘publishing
false reports’ under a provision of the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act.
ARTICLE 19 described the authorities’ determination to proceed with the case
as ‘a mockery of justice’. The
organisation, which is supporting a legal campaign to wipe the provision
from the statute books, demanded that the charges be dropped immediately.
Jon Lunn of ARTICLE 19’s Africa Programme said today:
“The government of Zimbabwe should be investigating the torture of Mark
Chavunduka and Ray Choto while in illegal military custody in January 1999.
Instead they are pursuing politically motivated charges which demonstrate
the deep flaws in the legal system and show the government’s true agenda –
to stifle legitimate debate and gag the media.”
The Constitutional challenge to provisions of the Law and Order
(Maintenance) Act, which is also before the Supreme Court, was initiated
earlier this year. If successful, the charges against the two journalists
will automatically fall away.
ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship, has made a detailed
submission to the Supreme Court which shows that the offence of ‘false
reporting’ does not exist, has been struck down or has fallen into disuse in
most democracies. Given the degree of independence shown by the Supreme
Court in the past, hope remains that the Court will strike out the
provision.
In fact, a more liberal replacement to the existing Law and Order
(Maintenance) Act was vetoed by President Mugabe earlier this year. He has
sent it back to Parliament, reportedly with instructions to make it tougher
on the media.
In January 1999, The Standard published an article entitled “Senior Army
Officers Arrested”, about a coup attempt in which 23 members of the Zimbabwe
National Army were alleged to have been arrested. The charges against Mark
Chavunduka, an editor of the newspaper, and the author of the story, Ray
Choto, have been brought in connection with this story.
The Zimbabwean Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, and Zimbabwe
also has an obligation to uphold the right under the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter of Human and People’s
Rights.
ARTICLE 19 will continue to support the campaign of the Zimbabwe journalists
to obtain justice.
