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Zimbabwe Among African Countries Using COVID-19 to Crack Down on Journalists,
Report Finds

Columbus Mavhunga

   HARARE - [1]A new Human Rights Watch reports chronicles how more than
   20 African governments are using the COVID-19 pandemic to clamp down on
   freedom of the media. The report finds that Zimbabwe's government, long
   known for repressing dissent, is one of the worst offenders.

   The report released Thursday says officials in Zimbabwe are cracking
   down on journalists, political opponents, health workers and others who
   criticize the government's response to the COVID-19 crisis.

   "In Zimbabwe, we have documented a number of incidences over the last
   year. And our report references three of those," saysGerry Simpson,an
   associate director for crisis and conflict division at Human Rights
   Watch. "A journalist that was beaten at a checkpoint near a lockdown
   area. We documented how a journalist was detained for nine weeks for
   his COVID reporting between July and November at various stages last
   year, and finally we have noted how Zimbabwe introduced the Public
   Health Order Act in March which threatened up 20 years in prison for
   fake news on public health matters."

References

   1. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/02/11/covid-19-triggers-wave-free-speech-abuse

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