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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Post-election violence 2008 - Index of articles & images
Protest
against attacks on journalists
Voluntary
Media Council of Zimbabwe
May 23, 2008
The Voluntary
Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) wishes to protest in the strongest
terms against the ongoing attacks, harassment, torture and arrest
of journalists for a variety of whimsical reasons. This persecution
of the media profession is unacceptable in a democratic country.
Our view as a council
is that the media should be allowed to play their traditional role
as the fourth estate first in the gathering and dissemination of
information about what happens in our country and secondly in providing
the checks and balances against any excesses that may, from time
to time, be indulged in by the other hallowed three pillars of governance
namely the executive, the legislature and the judiciary.
The latest to
be arrested were two journalists, Frank Chikowore, a freelancer
and Davidson Maruziva,
the Editor of the Standard. Both were later released and remanded
to May 23. Chikowore paid $5billion bail while Maruziva paid $10billion
bail.
The VMCZ stands for the
fundamental importance of freedom of expression as the cornerstone
of democracy and as a means of ensuring respect for all human rights
as well as upholding the rule of law.
The council believes
that it is the duty of every journalist to provide members of the
public with accurate information on current events without fear
or favor. This obligation applies to all scribes irrespective of
whether one works for a state-controlled or privately controlled
media organization.
Journalists risk compromising
their professional integrity and freedom of conscience when they
allow their names to be carried on stories that are nothing more
than falsehoods or mere propaganda for their masters.
We urge other organizations
that seek to promote media freedom to join us in condemning the
needless onslaught against the media by whomsoever as this is a
serious breach of the fundamental right to freedom of expression.
M.A. Masunda
Chairman
Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe
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