MISA Zimbabwe reiterates its calls for Zimbabwe to adopt and implement the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
The safety and security of journalists is critical to the exercise and enjoyment of the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information to foster public accountability and citizen participation in governance issues.
This is critical at a time when new technologies and weapons are transforming the threats faced by journalists locally, regionally and internationally, as captured by this year’s International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI) theme, Threats Evolve. Impunity Endures.
The theme concerns the evolving nature of emerging threats and how they affect freedom of expression and access to information if they are not addressed urgently.
This is compounded by other global threats, including Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPS), arbitrary detention, intimidation, killings, and threats to media sustainability, which undermine independent investigative journalism for public accountability and democracy.
The evolution of the information ecosystem has also seen female journalists targeted and discredited to undermine their role as journalists.
MISA Zimbabwe reiterates its calls for Zimbabwe to adopt and implement the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.
The UN Plan of Action is hinged on four critical pillars: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnerships.
This entails raising public awareness (Media and Information Literacy) of the impact of media violations, investigating attacks on journalists, and implementing comprehensive legislative reforms.
Raising awareness of the impact of impunity on citizens’ right to access information and on public accountability will embolden journalists to report and expose cases of media violations.
Fundamentally, Protection, among other factors, requires the urgent implementation of gender-sensitive safety measures in newsrooms and appropriate action against technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against female journalists.
Investigations into attacks against journalists deter would-be perpetrators of the crimes from acting with impunity.
The theme for this year’s IDEI commemorations is a call to action to end impunity for crimes against journalists, particularly considering the new challenges posed by technology.
The government and critical stakeholders, such as the Zimbabwe Media Commission, the police, civil society, the media and concerned citizens, should join hands to fight and end impunity for crimes against journalists.
MISA Zimbabwe Statement on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
Passmore Kuzipa
Chairperson
MISA Zimbabwe
