Zimbabwe: Minister calls for harassment of journalists to stop

Journalists should not be harassed or arrested while conducting their lawful professional duties, the Minister of Media, Information and Publicity Webster Shamu said in Harare on 28 March 2010.

“Journalists should not be arrested for telling the truth and being constructively critical. Harassment of journalists should stop to enable them to deliver their duties smoothly,” said Shamu.

 

The minister made the rare remarks on the harassment, arrests and detention of journalists when addressing delegates at the Federation of African Journalists conference in Harare.

 

Minister Shamu called for media freedom in Africa to allow journalists to discharge their duties without fear of victimisation by authorities.  He said journalists should not be deceived into believing that “good journalism” was undermining national interests and criticising governments and heads of state.

 

Background

Minister Shamu’s remarks come on the backdrop of the arrests and detention of freelance photojournalist Andrison Manyere on three different occasions on 18 January 2010, 24 February 2010 and 1 March 2010 respectively. On 21 March 2010 freelance journalist Nunurai Jena was detained and questioned by security officials at Beitbridge Border Post. Scores of Zimbabwean journalists have in the past been threatened, arrested and detained in terms of Zimbabwe repressive media laws notably the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. 

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Reagan Malumo

Programme Officer: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research

Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat

21 Johann Albrecht St

Private Bag 13386

Windhoek

Namibia

Phone: +264 61 232 975

Fax: +264 61 248 016

Mobile: +264 81 311 2626

Official Email: reagan@misa.org

Private Email: reagan32002@yahoo.com

 

- March 30, 2010 by MISA
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Source : www.misa.org (received via email alert 31.03.10)