Her Excellency Florence Zano Chideya
Ambassador of Zimbabwe to Canada
332 Somerset Street West
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0J9

May 28, 2009

Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE welcomes the statements made by the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, in Harare on May 21, 2009, which outlined actions intended to "facilitate the opening up of media space."

Various changes that Prime Minister Tsvangirai intends to make include allowing foreign journalists to report legally, and addressing the strict licensing regulations and prohibitively high accreditation fees and taxes currently faced by journalists. Prime Minister Tsvangirai, who formed a coalition with President Mugabe in February 2009, has stated that the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) will be formed and that until the commission is instituted there is a hold on fees and obtaining accreditation.

These welcome changes come at a time when several journalists face work-related charges and imprisonment. Freelance photojournalist Anderson Shadreck Manyere, was re-arrested on May 5 after being released on bail in April 2009 following four months in prison. Manyere was subsequently granted bail on May 13 until his trial on May 28. Human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama, who represents Manyere and other journalists, was detained on May 14 for one day. Other journalists are also facing harassment, temporary detentions and various charges.

CJFE hopes that these positive signs are indicative of a new era of respect on the part of the Zimbabwean government for the right to free expression. CJFE calls for the ending of unjustified raids, detentions, and charges against all journalists working in Zimbabwe.

We thank you for your attention and look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Arnold Amber, President

c.c.: Barbara Richardson, Ambassador of Canada to Zimbabwe;
The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs