Zimbabwe continues downward slide on press freedom index

By Lance Guma
20 October 2005

Zimbabwe continues to slide downwards on the press freedom index. In the latest report by Reporters Without Borders, the country is now ranked 153 on the 167-country index. The Paris based organization says unjust laws and repressive governments are holding back some countries including Zimbabwe. The media watchdog describes the country as ‘one of the continent's most ruthless regimes facing a courageous but poorly-equipped independent press.’

Reporters Without Borders compiles this Index by asking 14 freedom of expression groups from around the world and its network of 130 correspondents, journalists, researchers, legal experts and human rights activists, to answer 50 questions meant to assess a country's level of press freedom. Some countries are not mentioned for lack of information about them.
Worryingly Zimbabwe is ranked lower that war ridden areas such as Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It only compares favorably to countries like Iraq, Iran, North Korea and Libya amongst others. Four newspapers in Zimbabwe have been shut down using harsh media laws while journalists are constantly arrested and assaulted for doing their work.
Just this week The Committee to Protect Journalists named Zimbabwean lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa as one of the recipients of its International Press Freedom Awards. The CPJ said, "In a country where the law is used as a weapon... Mtetwa has defended journalists and argued for press freedom, at great personal risk." The awards have been given to people who have had to endure beatings, threats and prison as a consequence of their work.