Prior to its enactment, Commissioner Ourveena Geereesha Topsy-Sonoo, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information wrote to President Mnangagwa, advising him against signing the then Bill into law.
Freedom of expression
ZIMBABWE 2023 ELECTIONS AND BEYOND: Media regulation, Journalism Safety and Security
Sadly, the country continued to witness cases involving the wanton unlawful arrests, assaults, and harassment of journalists with impunity, with none of the perpetrators of these media freedom violations being held accountable or brought to book.
Asakhe Online seeks permission to livestream election court cases
Asakhe Online is seeking permission to use cellphones and or video cameras to livestream and broadcast the proceedings to the public through the internet in an orderly and unobtrusive manner.
ACHPR Special Rapporteur engages Mnangagwa on ‘Patriot Bill’
In a letter to President Mnangagwa last week, the Commissioner advised that the proposed law will have the effect of curtailing the exercise of rights such as media freedom and freedom of expression, the right to privacy, access to information, freedom of conscience, political rights, freedom to demonstrate and petition, and freedom of assembly and association.
Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill: Is history repeating itself?
“I can say without equivocation say that this bill, in its original form was the most calculated and determined assault on our liberties guaranteed by the Constitution, in the 20 years I served as Cabinet Minister and a member of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation for 16 of those years.”
Free Expression Climate Survey 2023
This survey is part of MISA’s regional programme to identify the most pressing issues for free media, free speech, and a free expression in the digital sphere.
Regional governments commit to more openness as MISA launches press freedom report
MISA Regional Director Tabani Moyo gave a synopsis of the report, explaining that while there were improvements on some aspects, the issue of impunity for crimes against journalists remained a worry.
The State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa Report 2022 ( Now Available)
The rise of digital technologies has presented new challenges in terms of the legislative environments in the region.
MISA nationwide World Press Freedom Day commemorations
The meeting was a confluence of key stakeholders such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC), the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), media and civil society, as they reflected on the theme.
MISA Zimbabwe 2022 State of the Media Report (Now Available)
While Zimbabwe is commendably not among the African countries with jailed journalists, the country witnessed an upsurge in the number of cases involving the assaults of journalists at political gatherings/rallies, with some sustaining injuries for which they sought medical treatment.