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Statement on the suspension of The Tribune licence
Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (ZINEF)
June 25, 2004

The Zimbabwe National Editors Forum deplores the continued assault on the independent media and closure of democratic space as shown by the Media and Information Commission’s arbitrary decision to suspend The Tribune’s registration. Whatever the claims of the commission about shareholding structures at Africa Tribune Newspapers, we see the move as part of a wider bid by the state to silence inconvenient voices.

The latest incident demonstrates once again that the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act is being used as a political weapon. The constitutionality of the Act is currently being challenged as are the steps the commission has taken to close newspapers.

We note that it continues to ignore evidence of professional abuses in the state-owned media while harassing the independent press. The closure of The Tribune follows a series of assaults on the free media since 1999. We emphasise that whatever changes are made to electoral rules, the absence of a diverse media means voters in the March general election will be unable to make an informed choice.

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