OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT (as amended at 31 December 2004) DISTRIBUTED BY VERITAS VERITAS MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO ENSURE THE PROVISION OF RELIABLE INFORMATION, BUT CANNOT TAKE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR INFORMATION SUPPLIED. CHAPTER 11:09 OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT Acts 16/1970, 27/1975 (s. 8); R.G.N. 1308/1973. ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3. Espionage. 4. Prohibition of communication of certain information. 5. Certain acts prejudicial to safety or interests of Zimbabwe prohibited. 6. Obstructing persons on guard at or loitering near prohibited places. 7. Harbouring or concealing certain persons and failing to report information relating to foreign agents. 8. Communication with foreign agent proof of certain facts. 9. Proof of purpose prejudicial to safety or interests of Zimbabwe. 10. Forfeiture. 11. Authority of Attorney-General required for institution of criminal proceedings. 12. Extra-territorial application of Act. 13. Declaration of prohibited place. AN ACT to prohibit the disclosure for any purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe of information which might be useful to an enemy; to make provision for the purpose of preventing persons from obtaining or disclosing official secrets in Zimbabwe; to prevent unauthorized persons from making sketches, plans or models of and to prevent trespass upon defence works, fortifications, military reserves and other prohibited places; and to provide for matters incidental to the foregoing. [Date of commencement: 27th February, 1970.] 1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Official Secrets Act [Chapter 11:09]. (b) any other organization operating outside Zimbabwe which is declared by the President, by notice in a statutory instrument, to be a hostile organization on the grounds that it is furthering or encouraging persons to commit acts prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe; “model” includes a design, pattern or specimen; “munitions of war” means any article, material or device or any part thereof, whether actual or proposed, 2 Interpretation (1) In this Act— “document” includes— (a) any book, pamphlet, record, list, placard or poster; or (b) any drawing, sketch, picture, plan or photographic or other representation of a place or thing; or (c) any sound recording or other contrivance for the reproduction of sound; “enemy” includes a hostile organization; “foreign agent” includes any person who— (a) is or has been or is reasonably suspected of being or having been, directly or indirectly, employed by the government of a country or a hostile organization for the purpose of committing in Zimbabwe or elsewhere an act prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe; or (b) has or is reasonably suspected of having committed or attempted to commit in Zimbabwe or elsewhere, in the interests of a country other than Zimbabwe or of a hostile organization, an act prejudicial to the safety or interests of Zimbabwe; “hostile organization” means— (a) any organization which is an unlawful organization in terms of the Unlawful Organizations Act [Chapter 11:13]; or 157 [Chapter 11:09]