Victim/ Concerned Party

Violation/ Event/issue

Date

Status of matter

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) /Government

The government gazette the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (Debt Assumption) Bill which seeks to pave the way for the state to takeover the state broadcaster’s debt which is running into billions of Zimbabwe dollars.

6 June 2004

Parliament passed the Bill on 15 June 2004.

Standard Journalists, Bornwell Chakaodza (Editor) and reporter Valentine Maponga.

The two journalists were remanded out of custody to 14 August for contravening section 15 of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) after they published a story in which they alleged government involvement in the murder of a Mine Boss Leonard Chimimba.

9 June 2004

The two are expected to appear in court on 14 August 2004.

Four directors of The Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), Samuel Nkomo, Rachel Kupara, Michael Mattinson and Brian Mutsau

The four directors appeared in court facing charges under section 66 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, (AIPPA), for publishing a come back edition of The Daily News on 24 October 2003 without a license from the government appointed Media and Information Commission.

10 June 2004

The publishers pleaded not guilty charges. Trial is still ongoing.

The Tribune Newspaper /The Media and Information Commission (MIC)

The (MIC) shut down , The Africa Tribune Newspapers, (ATN) publishers of The Tribune newspaper on allegations of breaching section 67 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). MIC closed the paper in terms of section 71 of AIPPA.

10 June 2004

The Tribune went on to challenge the decision of the MIC in the High Court. On 21 June the High Court reserved judgment on whether The Tribune should publish.

AIPPA Amendments

The government plans to amend sections of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act 2002.The proposed amendments to the Act appeared in a government gazette of 18 June 2004.

22 June 2004

The amendments are still to be passed