(RSF/IFEX) – In a 19 August 1999 letter to the president of the Republic, Robert Mugabe, RSF deeply regrets his decision to veto the issuing of a law which represents a step forward for press freedom. RSF urged him “to go back on (his) decision and to permit (his) country to adopt a law which […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a 19 August 1999 letter to the president of the Republic,
Robert Mugabe, RSF deeply regrets his decision to veto the issuing of a law
which represents a step forward for press freedom. RSF urged him “to go back
on (his) decision and to permit (his) country to adopt a law which respects
press freedom and the rule of law.” Robert Ménard, the organisation’s
secretary-general, added: “Our organisation urges you to ensure that the
laws governing the press in Zimbabwe are harmonised with Article 19 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Politics Rights, which guarantees
freedom of expression, and which has been ratified by Zimbabwe.”
According to the information gathered by RSF, President Mugabe sent a letter
to the Speaker of Parliament, saying that the new Public Order and Security
Bill was not strict enough towards the independent press. The bill, adopted
by Parliament, which is comprised of a large majority of members of Mugabe’s
own party (Zanu-Pf), would replace the Law and Order Maintenance Act, an act
that stifles freedom which was inherited from the racist government of
Southern Rhodesia. The independent press has already suffered various
attacks and threats since the beginning of 1999, markedly with the arrest
and torture of two journalists from “The Standard” newspaper in January (see
IFEX alerts).
