Sunday - August 05, 2007

Zimbabwe Suffers Even More Under Mugabe 

Zimbabwe, under Mugabe, has fallen off the edge of civilization.  Today brings another indignity:

In a Government Gazette published yesterday, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda said the President had given his assent to the two laws in terms of the Constitution.

"The following laws, which have been assented to by the President, are published in terms of Section 51 (5) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe: Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Act (Chapter 11:21) (No. 5 of 2007), Interception of Communications Act (Chapter 11:20) (No. 6 of 2007.)"

The Interception of Communication Act and Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Act passed through Parliament in June this year without amendments.

The Interception of Communications Act allows Government to monitor the Internet, mobile and fixed phones to sift for information it deems subversive or used for organised crime.

The Suppression of Foreign and International Terrorism Act seeks to punish people engaged in foreign or international terrorist activities or mercenaries.

The Interception of Communications Act allows certain communications to be intercepted or monitored in the course of their transmission through telecommunications or the postal service.

It proposes for the establishment of a Monitoring of Interception of Communications Centre that shall be the sole facility through which authorised interceptions shall be effected.

The Minister of Transport and Communication will be mandated with issuing a warrant to authorised persons where there is reasonable suspicion that a serious offence has been or is being committed or that there is a threat to national security.

Provision is made for review by the Attorney General of the minister’s exercise of the power to issue the warrants.

Persons authorised to make applications for the interception of communications include the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Director General of the President’s Department of National Security, Commissioner of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.

Author: The Machiavellian
Technorati Tags: Zimbabwe
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