IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT - ZIMBABWE

25 January 2002

Government hunts down foreign journalists for "illegal entry"

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, RSF
expressed its concern over government threats to foreign journalists who may
have entered the country illegally.

"These journalists applied for tourist visas only because they had no other
option in order to cover the news. We ask the government to give them
accreditation and let them work freely," stated RSF Secretary-General Robert
Ménard. "With presidential elections due in March we fear that Zimbabwe is
hardening its stance against the local and international press," added
Ménard.

According to information obtained by RSF, on 24 January 2002, the
government-controlled daily "The Herald" reported that the authorities were
close to arresting British and South African journalists who had entered
Zimbabwe on tourist visas. According to the daily, reporters from the
British publications "The Guardian", "The Daily Telegraph" and "The
Economist" and the South African "Sunday Times" are present in Zimbabwe
without official accreditation. "Our net is closing [in] on them and we
should be able to account for all of them before the [end] of the day," said
George Charamba, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Information. Several
foreign newspapers’ visa applications have been rejected over the past few
weeks.

The same day, a journalist from Madagascar was turned back at Harare
airport. Sahondra Randriamasimanana, a reporter for "Capricorne" magazine,
arrived on holiday in Zimbabwe to visit friends, but was detained by police
when she showed her passport, which described her as a "journalist".

In 2001, Zimbabwe became one of the worst African countries in terms of
press freedom. Twenty local journalists were arrested and three foreign
press correspondents were expelled from the country. President Robert Mugabe
is listed by RSF as one of the thirty-nine international press freedom
"predators". Throughout 2001, the president and his government frequently
denounced members of the press in the strongest terms.

For further information, contact Jean-François Julliard at RSF, rue Geoffroy
Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51,
e-mail: [email protected] [2], Internet: http://www.rsf.fr [3]

The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
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