VMCZ condemns arrest of Daily News Editor and reporter

The Voluntary Media council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) has condemned the arrest of Daily News Editor Stanley Gama and reporter Fungisai Kwaramba  for allegedly criminally defaming Omani businessman, Kamal Khalfan.

The organisation said the arrest of the two comes barely a month after assurances from the Ministry of Media, Information and Broadcasting Services that criminal defamation laws will be removed from the country's statutes.

"VMCZ calls on authorities to stop using the out dated and undemocratic defamation laws to arrest and intimidate journalists and media professionals.

"The preference of criminal defamation charges against journalists and media houses is patently undemocratic and can only be viewed as an affront to the right to freedom of expression and access to information that is guaranteed in Zimbabwe's new Constitution," the organisation said.

"It is in this regard that the VMCZ wishes to express deep regret that political leaders would seek recourse to criminal defamation charges against journalists. Issues of grievances against the media can be resolved amicably without having to send journalists to police stations or interrogation by the police.

"The VMCZ reiterates that criminal defamation is inconsistent with the new constitution and we urge the police to desist from invoking criminal defamation charges against the media at the instigation of powerful and connected individuals in society."

The VMCZ raised concern that if the precedent left unchecked would lead to many unwarranted arrests of journalists and in the process militate against efforts to report factually, truthfully and without bias.

"The VMCZ urges aggrieved parties to make use of the VMCZ Media Complaints Mechanism which allows parties to resolve complaints against the media in an amicable and expeditious manner. Resorting to criminal defamation is not only time consuming but puts a strain on the already overloaded and strained justice and legal system.

"VMCZ takes this opportunity to call upon relevant government agencies and parliament to seriously and urgently move motions that realign provisions of the old constitution with the new constitution."