Harare, 11 July 2025: The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) strongly condemns the harassment of journalists and media practitioners in Zimbabwe.
SALC is deeply concerned about the ongoing harassment of media practitioners in Zimbabwe using the criminal insult laws under Section 33(2)(a) and (b) of Zimbabwe’s Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which criminalise ‘undermining the authority of or insulting the President.’ The recent arrests of newspaper editor Faith Zaba on 1 July 2025 and the charging of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) for a satirical column illustrate how the law is weaponised to silence journalists and suppress critical voices. Such actions mirror the repressive tactics of Zimbabwe’s past, when laws like the since-repealed Public Order and Security Act and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) were used to criminalise dissent and critical expression. The targeting of journalists not only undermines press freedom but also erodes the democratic fabric of the nation.
This draconian provision, which imposes criminal penalties up to 1 year imprisonment for statements considered to undermine the president’s authority, is a regressive law that revives the oppressive language of colonial-era seditionoffence laws. The provision suppresses critical discourse and breaches Zimbabwe’s guarantees of freedom of expression protected under Section 61 of the Constitution. It also breaches Zimbabwe’s international human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
For years, SALC has consistently called on Zimbabwe to uphold fundamental freedoms, especially the right to freedom of expression, as safeguarded by its constitution. We have documented and challenged the abuse of vague, overly broad laws restricting civic space. Yet, the continued existence and use of Section 33 shows a troubling disregard for constitutional and international human rights standards. The 2013 Constitutional Court decision in the case of Chimakure v Attorney General, declaring a similar insult law unconstitutional, should have signalled a turning point, but the state’s reliance on this provision indicates a deliberate rollback of democratic progress.
SALC urges the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU) to regard these media and press freedoms attacks as a serious breach of democracy across the region. The targeted harassment of journalists and activists in Zimbabwe demands urgent action from regional bodies tasked with upholding democratic principles and human rights. Silence or inaction risks encouraging further repression, damaging the credibility of SADC and AU commitments to good governance.
We call on the Zimbabwean government to repeal Section 33 and align its laws with constitutional and international standards. SALC stands in solidarity with journalists and human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, reaffirming our dedication to defending freedom of expression and ensuring accountability.