Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

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FORUM WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY STATEMENT

Worldwide, the press has played a pivotal role not only in increasing awareness, informing, and educating the masses, but taking the governments to account for their extravagance in corruption, human rights abuses, and wanton violation of constitutions. The crucial role the press play in shaping societies can never be underestimated. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day which is commemorated internationally every 3^rd day of May.#.

This year’s commemorations mark 30 years since the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed Press freedom in December 1993. The commemorations are being held under the theme: “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights” in recognition of how a free press represents the bedrock and lifeblood of all other human rights. In essence, access to media is a human right.

We welcome the government’s efforts in taking steps to ensure access to information by licensing more media players. However, we remain concerned that the diverse media has not achieved media plurality as media remains in the dominant control of the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) which operates two TV networks and four radio stations and has historically dominated broadcast media. Zimpapers (Ltd), a major player in the print media has also become a major broadcasting player as it operates four radio stations, Star FM, Capitalk FM, Diamond FM (in Mutare) and Platinum FM (in Chinhoyi) which replaced Kariba-based Nyaminyami FM. Zimpapers (Ltd) was also awarded a free-to-air television licence, Zimpaper Television Network (ZTN).

Zimbabwe provides for the right to freedom of expression under section 61 of its 2013 Constitution. Articles 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protect this right. Both instruments have been ratified by the Government of Zimbabwe. This means Zimbabwe recognizes the right to receive and impart through any media, regardless of the frontiers.

Sadly, this year’s commemorations come at a time when the country is witnessing an increase in systematic attacks on the media. Journalists have been increasingly exposed to assaults and arbitrary arrests for conducting their lawful professional duties. The country has also witnessed sad instances where freedom of expression has been criminalized. We are commemorating Press Freedom Day a few days after the conviction and sentencing of Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume on 28 April 2022 over his right to express himself on Twitter. Another opposition member, Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC) spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere was convicted on 5 April over the same right enshrined in the constitution.

On 19 January, journalists were barred from the courtroom at the Harare Magistrates Court to cover the appearance of 25 CCC members arrested in Budiriro for allegedly holding an illegal gathering. The same had been the case when Zengeza MP Job Sikhala first appeared in court on 17 June 2022 after his arrest over allegations of inciting the Nyatsime violence. The media has also reported many instances where private media journalists have been barred from covering First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, for example on 24 April 2022 journalists from private media who wanted to cover the First Lady’s tour of the Museum of African Liberation, organized by the Institute of African Knowledge (INTRAK) were turned away. Journalists were also barred from taking pictures of the First Lady at a function in Beitbridge on 25 April 2022. In June last year, private media journalists were also barred from covering the First Lady’s commissioning of the Marondera Female Open Prison built by TelOne under the Angel of Hope Foundation. Private media journalists have also been turned away from the State House to cover President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s functions.

These examples are in contravention of section 62 (2) of the Constitution which gives journalists the right to access information. On 7 July 2022, freelance journalist Anyway Yotamu was assaulted and sustained a knee injury for taking videos of the police assaulting vendors. Journalists Tongai Mwenje, Toneo Rutsito, Pellagia Mpurwa, and Chelsea Mashayamombe were heavily assaulted for taking pictures and videos of a motorcade of over 20 ZANU-PF branded vehicles in Gokwe on 25 August 2022. A NewsDay reporter Moreblessings Nyoni was assaulted by the police on 6 October 2022 after being caught capturing images of Harare City Council officers destroying vending stalls and residential structures.

The blatant violation of the right to freedom of the Press places a further blight on the human rights record of the Zimbabwe government. The Forum wishes to emphasize that this right is a key component of ensuring the growth or enhancement, efficacy, and long-term survival of Zimbabwe’s nascent constitutional democracy. It fosters responsiveness, accountability, and transparency on the part of the government. To date, however, there have been no known investigations or arrests of the perpetrators of the above-mentioned assaults on members of the media.

It is against this worrying backdrop that The Forum calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe to respect, protect and promote the right to freedom of expression and of the media ahead of the 2023 polls and to show a genuine commitment to do so by:

Fostering an environment that is open and safe for journalists to perform their critical role in society;
Observing the following guidelines for providing safety for journalists and other media practitioners provided under principle 20 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa which include:

To guarantee the safety of journalists and other media practitioners;
To prevent attacks on journalists and other media practitioners, including torture and other forms of ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests, and detention;
To raise the awareness of policymakers and other stakeholders on laws and standards for ensuring the safety of journalists and other media practitioners;
To investigate, prosecute and punish perpetrators of attacks against journalists and other media practitioners; and
To ensure the safety of female journalists and media practitioners by addressing gender-specific safety concerns.

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