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Zimbabwe - October 2022

Harassment of journalists escalates ahead of expected election crackdown
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Zimbabwean security agencies’ assault, detention and obstruction of five journalists in less than a week, marked an escalation in the harassment of journalists by state authorities as the country prepares for elections in 2023. The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), an advocacy group, says that approximately 30 journalists have been subject to such treatment in 2022. In all five incidents, the journalists were trying to cover public interest events. While an escalation in journalist harassment in the build up to elections is common in Zimbabwe, the director of MISA Zimbabwe has said that this election season is promising to be worse than usual for the media. The Committee to Protect Journalists, an NGO, described the increased violence against journalists in the country as “a serious source of concern.” In 2022, Zimbabwe fell 7 places to 37th in the Press Freedom Index, which is published annually by the NGO Reporters without Borders.

Sources: Committee to Protect Journalists, Daily Maverick, Voice of America, MISA Zimbabwe   

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Freedom of The Press
Rule of Law -1 Rule of Law  (-1)
Personal Integrity and Security