1 October 2003

NINE "DAILY NEWS" JOURNALISTS CHARGED


Nine journalists from Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper, the "Daily News," have been charged for violating the country's Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), reports the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

The journalists are the first of 45 "Daily News" staff whom police intend to summon, according to a local press report. They are being charged for practicing journalism without accreditation.

The "Daily News" has been closed since 12 September, a day after Zimbabwe's Supreme Court ruled that the newspaper violated the AIPPA by operating without a registration licence.

Many IFEX members have condemned the AIPPA as a draconian piece of legislation. It requires all media to register with the Media and Information Commission (MIC), whose members are appointed by the government. Media outlets are also forced to reveal details about their business plans and the political affiliations of their company directors, CPJ notes.

Until two weeks ago, Associated Newspapers of the Zimbabwe - which owns the "Daily News" - had refused to register with the MIC while it mounted a court case challenging the constitutionality of the AIPPA, says CPJ. Journalists at the newspaper said they had applied for accreditation but were refused because their publication was unregistered.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa's (MISA) Zimbabwe chapter has also launched a legal challenge against the AIPPA, arguing that the composition of the MIC's board violates section 40 of the AIPPA. MISA says the act states that at least three board members must be nominated by journalists' associations. None of the current board members were nominated by journalists' associations. [Updates "IFEX Communiqué" #12-37: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/53593/]

Visit the IFEX website for updates on the "Daily News" saga: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/77/



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Also from the Communiqué, 1 October 2003

INTERNATIONAL: FREE-EXPRESSION PRINCIPLES IGNORED AT INFORMATION SOCIETY SUMMIT MEETINGS 1 October 2003 INTERNATIONAL: PFC MARKS "RIGHT TO KNOW" DAY 1 October 2003 RUSSIA: IFEX MEMBERS DECRY "ASSAULT" ON PRESS FREEDOM 1 October 2003 IRAQ: IFEX MEMBERS CONDEMN ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS 1 October 2003 KYRGYZSTAN: FREEDOM HOUSE, WAN URGE PROBE INTO JOURNALIST'S DEATH 1 October 2003 COLOMBIA: COLOMBIAN JOURNALISTS RECEIVE SAFETY TRAINING 1 October 2003 INTERNATIONAL: Global Survey Shows Momentum for FOI Laws 1 October 2003 INTERNATIONAL: CPJ ANNOUNCES 2003 PRESS FREEDOM AWARD WINNERS 1 October 2003

Zimbabwe

IFJ welcomes release of New Zealand photographer 11 May 2012 Police arrest members of civic organisation 2 April 2012 Six activists sentenced for watching Arab Spring video 23 March 2012 Four journalists arrested while covering pollution story 13 March 2012 War veterans threaten "NewsDay" newspaper 8 March 2012 See all alerts: Zimbabwe


Southern Africa

SOUTH AFRICA: FXI supports gallery's refusal to remove Zuma picture 23 May 2012 ZAMBIA: Supporters of former ruling party jailed for assaulting TV crew 1 May 2012 SWAZILAND: Authorities crush pro-democracy protest 16 April 2012 SWAZILAND: e.TV journalists detained 12 April 2012


 
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