Jonathan Moyo says Daily News is operating illegally

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said the Daily News was operating illegally because it was not registered in terms of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Its journalists were also not accredited as required by the law.

The Daily News was challenging the constitutionality of the Act in the Supreme Court.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE232, INFORMATION MINISTER SAYS DAILY NEWS IS “ILLEGAL”

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UNCLAS HARARE 000232

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS

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LONDON FOR NEARY

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TAGS: PHUM KPAO KMDR ZI

SUBJECT: INFORMATION MINISTER SAYS DAILY NEWS IS “ILLEGAL”

¶1.   In the continuing legal battle between the Associated

Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of the independent

daily “The Daily News,” and the government of Zimbabwe over

the mandatory registration of media houses and

accreditation of journalists under the controversial Access

to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA),

Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, in his opposing

affidavit filed in the Supreme Court this week, has accused

the newspaper of “operating illegally.” To date, the

newspaper has neither applied for registration nor

instructed its journalists to apply for accreditation at

the government-controlled Media and Information Commission.

ANZ filed an urgent application in the Supreme Court “to

declare invalid and devoid of legal effect, sections of the

Act which infringe on the rights of freedom of expression,

association and compulsory acquisition of property provided

for in the Constitution.” The Chairman of the Media and

Information Commission, Tafataona Mahoso, has also filed an

opposing affidavit in support of the Information Minister

Jonathan Moyo. No date has been set for the hearing of the

matter.

¶2.   Meanwhile two international news agencies, Reuters and

Agence France Press have obtained accreditation for their

bureaus and news staff in Zimbabwe. They submitted their

fees in United States dollars, as demanded by the Media and

Information Commission. The Associated Press (AP) declined

and closed its bureau, but retained two correspondents.

Zimbabwean correspondents for foreign media have been

advised by their lawyers that paying in American dollars

would violate exchange control regulations – which bar

Zimbabwe citizens and permanent residents from paying a

Zimbabwean body such as the Media Commission in foreign

currency. The Media and Information Commission is yet to

decide on the way forward in terms of the payments issue.

Under AIPPA all those who have been refused accreditation

must cease practicing or risk being arrested.

SULLIVAN

(42 VIEWS)