Letter to UN envoy on eve of departure for Zimbabwe

The election campaign and first round of the presidential election on 29 March were disastrous for press freedom. Eighteen journalists and media assistants were arrested.

The climate has worsened since then, especially in recent weeks, with the authorities now using independence war veterans as a supplementary force for the security services. Our organisation is very concerned that the decisive second round will be the occasion for a further escalation in the repression.