While in Zimbabwe, Human Rights Watch received credible reports from lawyers and human rights activists that a new weekly independent newspaper was under threat of closure, accused of violating AIPPA.121 On February 25, the paper was closed by the MIC.122 In the state-run Herald newspaper of February 26, MIC chairman Tafataona Mahoso was quoted as saying that the newspaper’s license was cancelled for a year for violating Section 71 (1) (a) of AIPPA by misleading the MIC about the nature of its publications.123 Human Rights Watch also documented one case in which a media organization was under threat of closure after the MIC claimed it was failing to meet AIPPA requirements, and another case in which a prominent journalist’s accreditation was threatened after the MIC accused him of working for the foreign press.124 Yet the law does not prohibit journalists from working for foreign media houses. It is important to note that all these organizations and journalists were perceived to be critical of the government. In the Sunday Mirror newspaper of February 20, 2005, the MIC reportedly warned the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper against allowing “its staffers to moonlight for foreign media houses or risk having the newspaper’s license as well as the ‘staffers’ accreditation revoked.”125 On December 1, 2004 the state-owned ZBC TV, quoted then Information Minister Jonathan Moyo as defending AIPPA and stating that it was “meant to protect the sovereignty of the country from mischievous people intending to use local media as a tool for regime change.”126 One freelance journalist in Bulawayo described to Human Rights Watch the obstacles facing independent journalists in the country: 121 Human Rights Watch interviews, Bulawayo, February 2005. See also “MIC’s axe hovers over Weekly Times,” The Financial Gazette, February 17-23, 2005. 122 “Zimbabwe media law claims another independent newspaper,” Mail and Guardian online, February 27, 2005; “Media bodies angry over paper’s closure,” Zimbabwe Standard, February 27, 2005; “Government bans new newspaper,” The Daily News online, February 28, 2005. 123 “The Weekly Times closed,” Herald online, February 26, 2005; Section 71 (1) (a) of AIPPA states that the commission may suspend or cancel the registration certificate of any mass media service if it has reasonable grounds for believing that there has been non-disclosure or misrepresentation of a material fact by the mass media owner concerned. 124 Human Rights Watch interview, Harare, February 2005. 125 MMPZ “Media Weekly Update,” February 20, 2005 126 From MMPZ “Media Weekly Update,” November 29 – December 5 2004. 27