Amnesty condemns closure of Daily News

Amnesty International (AI) on Wednesday added its voice to a chorus of disapproval over the closure of the Daily News, Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper. "This latest action by the Zimbabwean government sends a strong and clear signal to regional and international leaders that human rights are under siege in Zimbabwe. Sustained public condemnation of the repression of fundamental rights in Zimbabwe is not an option but a must," AI said in a statement. The Daily News was closed last Friday, a day after the Supreme Court dismissed an application by Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ) challenging the constitutionality of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). The Court ruled that the ANZ had to register under the act before its petition could be heard. The rights group pointed out that the newspaper had in the past fallen foul of authorities, who accused it of supporting the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. Its offices have been petrol-bombed three times since it was founded in 1999. According to a recent survey the Daily News has a readership of more than two million — the highest in the country. Its closest competitor, the official Herald newspaper, has a readership of 1.9 million. In a related development, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Francis Mdlongwa, resigned this week. Mdlongwa told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) that he had been considering leaving the ANZ group for some time, which publishes the Daily News. "It's unfortunate I have to leave at this time when ANZ is having this crisis," Mdlongwa told ZBC. Recently AI released a report which outlined how the government has allegedly used AIPPA to suppress dissent in Zimbabwe. For the Amnesty International report: http://amnesty-news.c.tclk.net/