Zimbabwe’s sole independent daily newspaper, which has been shut down for operating illegally, will on Monday submit an application to register with a government media commission, a company lawyer said.
”I am going to the Media and Information Commission to file our application,” said Gugulethu Moyo, legal adviser and director of corporate affairs of the Daily News.
Armed police swooped on the paper’s printing plant and its city centre editorial and advertising offices on Friday evening, and shut them down.
The police raid on the Daily News offices followed a Supreme Court decision that the paper was operating illegally because it had not registered with a government commission.
Under tough press laws introduced last year, all newspapers, reporters, media houses and outlets have to be registered with the state-appointed commission.
The Daily News had since March last year, when the law came into effect, not applied for accreditation as a media house.
Meanwhile, the paper’s chief executive, Sipepa Nkomo, is expected to appear in court later on Monday on charges of operating an illegal newspaper.
Lawyers for the paper are also planning to go to court to challenge the eviction from their offices, an executive said.
”Our eviction was patently illegal,” Moyo said. ”We’re going to approach the courts for relief.” — Sapa-AFP
More condemnation of paper closure