"Laws exist to protect President Mugabe from criticism while he is able to make unrestrained attacks on his critics in the media and civil society," said the WAN Board in a resolution issued on the eve of the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum, the global meetings of the world’s press which drew more than 1,300 publishers, chief editors and other senior newspaper executives to Istanbul, Turkey.

The resolution said:

The Board of the World Association of Newspapers, meeting at the 57th World Newspaper Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, 30 May to 2 June 2004, deplores the continuing attacks against independent media in Zimbabwe.

Journalists are subject to persistent abuse and threats in state-controlled media, and are threatened with arrest under draconian media and security laws.

Laws exist to protect President Mugabe from criticism while he is able to make unrestrained attacks on his critics in the media and civil society.

Under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2002), a Media and Information Commission has been set up to license journalists and media organisations. The Commission’s chairman has demonstrated his hostility to the independent media and regularly abuses private newspapers. At the same time, the law of criminal defamation is used to suppress critical voices in the media.

The independent media is finding it increasingly difficult to perform its role as a public watchdog given the hostility and lawlessness of ruling-party officials and the closure of democratic space.

The government has declined to license alternative radio or TV stations despite a court order to remove the state’s broadcasting monopoly. Voters are unable to make an informed choice because they do not have access to a diversity of views.

The Board of WAN calls for the elimination of the repressive provisions of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, together with the Public Order and Security Act, and for these and other attempts to silence independent media to be ceased immediately.

The Paris-based WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 13 news agencies and ten regional and world-wide press groups.

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.