WiPC 2008 Resolution: Zimbabwe

The Assembly of Delegates of International PEN, meeting at its 74th Congress in Bogota, Colombia 17 - 22 September 2008.

Concerned about the generally difficult situation for the inhabitants of Zimbabwe;

Extremely concerned about the present violent and uncertain situation for the people of Zimbabwe, in particular for those writers and journalists that are critical of the regime of President Robert Mugabe;

Appalled by reports of murder, torture and harassment of people who support the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC); that more than 80 people were killed in the violence between the first presidential election on 29 March 2008 and the run-off election on 27 June 2008, most of them MDC supporters; that writers and journalists have been imprisoned, put on trial and otherwise harassed and silenced for reporting on the situation in Zimbabwe, and that the premises of newspapers, magazines and other media voicing criticism against the regime have been closed down;

Alarmed that President Mugabe has failed to react to strong criticism from the international society and ignored the results of the first election;

Also alarmed that President Mugabe insisted on going through with the second election, in spite of universal condemnation of his treatment of the inhabitants of Zimbabwe, and of the fact that he did not allow members of the opposition to voice their opinions in the media;

Therefore calls upon President Mugabe to guarantee freedom of expression and safety for all writers and journalists that report on the situation in Zimbabwe.