Birmingham and Coventry National Union of Journalists

Zimbabwe: Excessive restraint on right to access pluralistic media & information

Article 19 is concerned about the directive by the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) to ban the distribution of unregistered foreign newspapers within Zimbabwe. An online report published on 3rd February 2012 by the Africa Review reports that the directive has sparked fears of a renewed crackdown on private media in the southern African country. The ZMC chairman, Godfrey Majonga,is reported to have said that foreign papers were operating outside the law and were not paying statutory fees. Newspapers are required to register as per the terms of the controversial Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).
Refworld, Monday 27th February 2012