media as rivals pursuing a regime change agenda. Conclusion The government has enacted Media plays an important role in shaping a legislation to unjustly control the media. The healthy democratic society. It is the media that following pieces of legislation were enacted to helps people to get information, form opinions curtail media freedom; the Access to and make informed judgments regarding Information and Protection of Privacy Act various issues; it is through the media that (AIPPA), 2002, Public Order and Security Act people become aware of the social, political and economic activities taking place throughout the (POSA), 2002 and the Broadcasting Services world. The government must guarantee Act (BSA) of 2001. Following the current wave citizens of their right to free and unfettered of popular protests by citizens mainly through news and information and freedom of the the use of social media, the government is media must be safeguarded. considering monitoring and regulating the use of social media for the purpose of national security through a proposed Computer Crime and Cyber crime Bill. Media rights violations involving harassment and intimidation of journalists have also been recorded in The Human Rights Bulletin is produced by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (”the Forum”) with support from the EU and is distributed free of charge through its member NGOs. If you would like to distribute copies, please contact us at Suite 4, Number 1 Raleigh Street, P. O. Box 9077, Harare. Telephone (04) 772860 or 770170 email: research@hrforum.co.zw or admin@hrforum.co.zw www.hrforumzim.org 4