ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS & ORS v MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION & ORS 2004 (1) ZLR 94 (S)

2004 (1) ZLR p94

Flynote

Constitutional law — Constitution of Zimbabwe 1980 — Declaration of Rights — s 18 — right to protection of the law — law creating offence of strict liability for publishing false information — too broad in effect

Constitutional law — Constitution of Zimbabwe 1980 — Declaration of Rights — s 20 — right to receive and impart information without interference — requirement for journalists to be accredited — not a contravention of section if criteria and qualifications for accreditation not too onerous — entitlement of person to be accredited if criteria met

Constitutional law — Constitution of Zimbabwe 1980 — Declaration of Rights — s 20 — right to receive and impart information without interference — entitlement of Media and Information Commission to be party to drawing up of code of conduct for journalists and to enforce such code — not a restriction on rights protected by s 20

Constitutional law — Constitution of Zimbabwe 1980 — Declaration of Rights — s 20 — right to receive and impart information without interference — law making it an offence for journalist to collect or disseminate information without the permission of his employer — too vague in objective – not constitutional

Statutes — Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act [Chapter 10:27] — ss 79, 80, 83 and 85 — constitutionality of sections