Cablegate: Media Report: Paper to Challenge Aippa; Harare

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS HARARE 000101

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PDPA DALTON, MITCHELL, SIMS AND AF/S RAYNOR
POSTS FOR PAS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT: PAPER TO CHALLENGE AIPPA; HARARE

Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publisher of the
independent "Daily News," has gone to court to challenge
some sections of the controversial Access to Information
and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), arguing that the Act
"interferes with and unduly restricts the enjoyment by the
citizens and other inhabitants of Zimbabwe of their
enjoyment of freedom of expression." AIPPA provides for
compulsory registration of journalists by the state-
appointed Media and Information Commission (MIC), among
other restrictions. ANZ lodged the constitutional
challenge in the Supreme Court on January 13 seeking a
ruling that would declare invalid and devoid of legal
effect sections of the Act which infringe on the rights to
freedom of expression, association and protection from
compulsory acquisition of property provided for in the
Constitution of Zimbabwe. Information Minister Jonathan
Moyo and the Attorney-General Patrick Chinamasa are cited
as respondents.

SULLIVAN

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