Zimbabwe: Camilla Nielsson’s censorship documentary undermines Zimbabwe’s democracy
Location: Zimbabwe, Lusaka Date: August 17, 2022
Danish journalist Camilla Nielsson’s political film documentary “President” has been banned by Zimbabwe authorities. Coalition for Women in Journalism (CFWIJ) calls on Zimbabwean authorities to lift the ban on journalist Camilla’s documentary film and urges them not to abuse censorship laws and exercise control for political purposes. The authorities must reverse the decision and uphold the right to freedom of expression and broadcasting. Censorship decisions undermine the country’s democracy.
The political documentary is about the African nation’s 2018 presidential election. The award-winning documentary shows suspected evidence of election fraud, manipulation, intimidation and political violence of activists hitting the streets by the ruling party.
According to the country’s censorship board, the film “has the potential to incite violence” as Zimbabwe prepares for presidential election in 2023.
Nielsson’s previous documentary about Zimbabwe’s power struggle for a new constitution which was warmly received by critics in 2014. Her follow-up documentary feature “President” (2021) about Zimbabwe’s transition to democracy received great recognition and awards. The “President” documentary had its premiere on August 8 in the US.
Camilla initially sought Zimbabwe’s censor board approval on April 1 for the documentary to be broadcast in the country. Later on (April 25), she announced that the film was not approved because some of the scenes violated acts of country’s censorship, following a letter on June 16 from the censorship control unit which emphasized that the documentary is “likely to be contrary to public order”.
The filmmakers are now appealing the decision to Zimbabwe’s constitutional court, promising a long legal battle ahead.
Regarding the documentary, Nielson described the film as a “testimony to the injustice of a stolen election”.
The film’s director Camilla Nielsson and producer Signe Byrge Sørensen said that “this is a clear example of a growing crackdown on dissent by the Zimbabwean government” adding that “They are worried about people seeing with their own eyes what’s happening”.
When Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa came to power in 2017, he promised free expression, but press freedom groups say the Zimbabwean government has never stopped efforts to muzzle the media.
CFWIJ supports journalist Camilla and her right to broadcast the documentary. This censorship is evidence of the crackdown on free speech of the African nation and put Zimbabwe backwards to democracy.
According to the 2022 World Press Freedom Index, Zimbabwe declined seven places lower than one year ago. It has previously been reported that press freedom in Zimbabwe was under attack, exposing increased intimidation of media workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities used the crisis to harass media workers and increase restrictions. The report noted that while some progress had been made, Zimbabwe had taken one step forward and two steps backwards. The report also noted that harsh laws are still in effect and when new laws have been adopted, their provisions are just as harsh as the ones they replaced.
There were 52 cases of assaults, harassment, and attacks on the media in 2020 according to the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).
CFWIJ reminds the government of its obligation to respect press freedom and constitutional rights, without interfering in the reporting work of journalists. Political censorship exists when a government attempts to hide, distort the information by suppressing or blocking the political news that the public might receive through different mediums of outlets, in this case through a political film documentary.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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