Zimbabwean journalists placed on EU sanctions list

They are also accused of being involved in activities that seriously undermined freedom of expression and the media in Zimbabwe.

On the list is Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) chief correspondent, Reuben Barwe; diplomatic correspondent Judith Makwanya; current affairs producer Musorowegomo Mukosi; ZBC acting chief executive officer (CEO) Happison Muchechetere, Zimbabwe Newspapers (CEO) Justin Mutasa, Pikirai Deketeke

editor of The Herald, senior assistant editor Caesar Zvayi and The Sunday Mail political editor Munyaradzi Huni.

Jongwe Printers, a company owned by Zanu PF and the political party's mouthpiece The Voice were also placed on the sanctions list.

This development comes on the backdrop of exhortations by the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee's (JOMIC) exhortations for both the private and public media to shun hate language and work towards promoting national healing as Zimbabwe takes baby steps towards the implementation of an inclusive government.

Speaking at a meeting with representatives of media houses on 6 February 2009 the Chairperson of JOMIC for the month of February, Professor Welshman Ncube, said the media has an important role to play in reducing the political tension that gripped Zimbabwe over the past 10 years.

JOMIC, which is co-chaired by Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC-M on a rotational basis, came into being following the signing of the Global Political Agreement in Harare on 15 September 2009 to monitor the implementation of the agreement by the three respective political parties.

Source: Media Institute of South Africa (MISA), via the African Press Organisation