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ZimRights Condemns Capitalk 100.4 FM For Violating Human Rights {Full Text}

3 years agoTue, 07 Jul 2020 06:45:00 GMT
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ZimRights Condemns Capitalk 100.4 FM For Violating Human Rights {Full Text}

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) condemns the violation of human rights by Capitalk 100.4 FM. On 25 June 2020, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) held a sponsored radio programme on Capitalk 100.4 FM on Torture and Ending Impunity.

The programme featured the Forum’s Chairperson and torture survivor Jestina Mukoko, Counseling Services Unit Executive Director Dr Frances Lovemore, NTJWG Thematic Leader for Survivors of Political Violence, as well as the ZimRights National Director Dzikamai Bere.

While the programme was live on air, the studio was invaded by a ma ascertained at the time of compiling this statement.

The invader started verbally abusing the show host, asking him why he had brought people to talk about torture on the radio.

The clearly angry invader did not give the host time to explain as he went on an unrestricted verbal attack. Without any warning, the radio programme was terminated as chaos took over the studio.

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We were to learn later that the Capitalk 100.4 FM station manager Nyaradzo Makombe was suspended for allowing the anti-torture show.

The Chairperson of the Zimpapers Group, Pikirai Deketeke in a statement alleged that the programme was not balanced.

ZimRights notes that this is the second documented time that Capitalk 100.4 FM has victimised media practitioners over coverage of human rights issues.

In August 2018, Capitalk 100.4 FM allegedly fired the then station manager Napoleon Nyanhi over a programme which covered the August 2018 shootings.

ZimRights believes the behaviour by Capitalk 100.4 FM is not only an unfair labour practice but is also in violation of the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

Section 61 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression which includes freedom of the media. Section 67 of the Constitution protects the right to fair labour practices.

The Zimpapers broadcasting division, which also runs Star FM, Diamond FM and Nyaminyami FM has benefitted immensely from sponsored programmes run by civil society actors aimed at raising awareness of human rights.

The group cannot choose what human rights to be respected and what rights they want to violate.

Section 44 of the Constitution says that the State and every person, including juristic persons, and every institution and agency of the government at every level must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights and freedoms set out in the Bill of Rights.

The repeated violation of human rights by Capitalk 100.4 FM is what defines impunity. This conduct thrives when there are no consequences.

The High Court of Zimbabwe, in the case of Jestina Mukoko v AG, has found that Jestina Mukoko was tortured by the State.

Capitalk 100.4 FM’s attempt to throw this fact into doubt and unfairly punish media practitioners who give victims of torture a voice is a celebration of the culture of torture and a re-victimisation of the torture victims who seek to tell their stories.

In response to this shameful conduct by Capitalk 100.4 FM (silencing torture victims), ZimRights calls for the reinstatement of Nyaradzo Makombe and the reversal of any sanctions upon employees of Capitalk 100.4 FM who participated in the preparation of the ‘Ending Torture Programme’.

ZimRights calls upon Capitalk 100.4 FM to air the full programme and issue an apology to the torture survivors who voices were quashed by the abrupt end to the programme.

To push for the enforcement of these demands and the respect for the Constitution by Capitalk 100.4 FM, ZimRights will be setting in motion a series of protest actions against Capitalk 100.4 FM.

With immediate effect, ZimRights will stop any business with Capitalk 100.4 FM. All ZimRights media products will bear this message, making it clear that the association will not do business with an institution that is implicated in human rights violations and glorifies torture.

ZimRights will be mobilising all its partners, business associates, the diplomatic community and international organisations to stop doing business with Capitalk 100.4 FM. Media products emphasising this message will be rolled out on social media as well as in the streets.

Condemning human rights violations is everyone’s obligation. The human rights community and the business community must not invest in businesses that violate human rights because that is equal to funding human rights violations.

Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)

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