Incident
Zimbabwe: police close the Daily News under the media registration law
Zimbabwe's Supreme Court ruled the Daily News, the country's largest independent newspaper, was operating unregistered under a 2002 media law, and police shut its offices the next day; the paper stayed closed for nearly seven years.123
What happened
On September 11, 2003, Zimbabwe's Supreme Court declared that the Daily News was violating the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA), a 2002 law requiring every media company to register with the government's Media and Information Commission (MIC). Because the paper's publisher had not registered, the court said it was operating outside the law and would consider constitutional arguments only after registration took place. The next day, police raided the newspaper's offices and ordered all journalists to leave the building, citing the Supreme Court's declaration. Administrative courts twice later ordered the Media and Information Commission to register the Daily News, but police closed the offices again each time journalists tried to resume work. Government officials said they were not interfering in the judicial process, while describing the independent press as serving foreign interests. The paper did not print again until the Media Commission granted it a new license in May 2010, nearly seven years later.123
The paper was closed from September 2003 until it received a new license in May 2010.3
What reason was given
Stated justificationGovernment officials said the courts, not the government, were responsible for the closure, while describing the independent press as serving outside interests; the source reviewed does not quote a specific legal justification beyond the registration requirement.123
What changed for reporting
Zimbabwe's largest independent newspaper was unable to publish for nearly seven years, and journalists were physically removed from its offices each time they attempted to resume work.123
Timeline
2003
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Mugabe | other | President of Zimbabwe |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Daily News | outlet | affected |
Sources
- Attacks on the Press 2003: Zimbabwe
- Zimbabwe allows independent dailies for 1st time in nearly 7 years
- Court orders authorities to allow Daily News to reappear
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- Zimbabwe's Supreme Court declared the Daily News was violating the media registration law.
On September 11, Zimbabwe's Supreme Court declared that the Daily News was violating provisions of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).
Attacks on the Press 2003: Zimbabwe, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2004-03-11.Claim 577, checked 2026-09-22. - Police raided the newspaper's offices the day after the ruling and ordered journalists to leave the building.
police raided the newspaper's offices and ordered all journalists to leave the building, using the Supreme Court's declaration as a pretext
Attacks on the Press 2003: Zimbabwe, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2004-03-11.Claim 578, checked 2026-09-22. - Zimbabwe's Media Commission granted the Daily News and other independent papers new licenses in May 2010.
Zimbabwe's Media Commission granted publishing licenses on May 27, 2010, marking the first time in nearly seven years that independent dailies would be allowed to print domestically.
Zimbabwe allows independent dailies for 1st time in nearly 7 years, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2010-05-27.Claim 579, checked 2026-09-22.