News / National
Zimbabwe's Daily News sued over Jonathan Moyo's articles
01 Apr 2011 at 15:18hrs | Views
Former Zimbabwe Information minister Jonathan Moyo is suing the newly relaunched Daily News for R 900 000 for re–publishing articles attacking President Robert Mugabe which he wrote after he was fired from Zanu PF, writes a jocoza correspondent.
The paper has been running a series of his articles - Gems from Jonathan Moyo. Moyo is now seeking an order to prevent the paper republishing articles he finds embarrassing since his return to the fold of Zanu-PF. He cited the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, publishers of the Daily News, and managing editor John Gambanga as first and second respondents respectively.Moyo claims his rights were infringed by the Daily News. "The offending works are a reproduction of the original works (or substantial part thereof). Further, the second defendant has caused the first defendant to sell or by way of trade offer or expose for sale or dispute in Zimbabwe copies of the offending works to such an extent that the plaintiff is prejudicially affected," Moyo's lawyers Hussein Ranchod and Co said in court papers.
Moyo was the architect of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) which allowed the closure of the Daily News and three other independent papers in 2003. The articles, which Moyo took offence to, are easily and widely available in public media, and on the Internet. They are available on websites such as prof.jonathan.moyo.com. He still wants "all copies of the works in the defendant's possessions returned" forthwith. ANZ has said it will defend itself in the lawsuit, which comes just two weeks after the paper relaunched following a seven-year legal battle to have it licenced. The paper re-launched on March 18. Moyo had previously promised to silence the paper, whose printing press was blown up shortly after the threat. Apart from The Daily News Moyo has already filed a lawsuit against two other independent papers for the same reason.
Moyo fell out of favour with Mugabe and Zanu PF senior officials in 2004 after he allegedly organised an illegal meeting which planned to replace Mugabe by current Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. He was recalled by Mugabe last year to try and help re-organise Zanu PF which lost the 2008 elections to opposition leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
The paper has been running a series of his articles - Gems from Jonathan Moyo. Moyo is now seeking an order to prevent the paper republishing articles he finds embarrassing since his return to the fold of Zanu-PF. He cited the Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, publishers of the Daily News, and managing editor John Gambanga as first and second respondents respectively.Moyo claims his rights were infringed by the Daily News. "The offending works are a reproduction of the original works (or substantial part thereof). Further, the second defendant has caused the first defendant to sell or by way of trade offer or expose for sale or dispute in Zimbabwe copies of the offending works to such an extent that the plaintiff is prejudicially affected," Moyo's lawyers Hussein Ranchod and Co said in court papers.
Moyo was the architect of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) which allowed the closure of the Daily News and three other independent papers in 2003. The articles, which Moyo took offence to, are easily and widely available in public media, and on the Internet. They are available on websites such as prof.jonathan.moyo.com. He still wants "all copies of the works in the defendant's possessions returned" forthwith. ANZ has said it will defend itself in the lawsuit, which comes just two weeks after the paper relaunched following a seven-year legal battle to have it licenced. The paper re-launched on March 18. Moyo had previously promised to silence the paper, whose printing press was blown up shortly after the threat. Apart from The Daily News Moyo has already filed a lawsuit against two other independent papers for the same reason.
Moyo fell out of favour with Mugabe and Zanu PF senior officials in 2004 after he allegedly organised an illegal meeting which planned to replace Mugabe by current Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa. He was recalled by Mugabe last year to try and help re-organise Zanu PF which lost the 2008 elections to opposition leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Source - www.journalism.co.za
