UPR SESSION 40 ZIMBABWE SUBSCRIPTIONS PER 100 INHABITANTS ZIMBABWE 0 Mobile 0 UPR 2022 Active mobile broadband REGION WORLD Zimbabwe must stop media violations and align its laws and practices with international human rights standards PRESS FREEDOM RANKING Reporters Without Borders INDIVIDUALS USING THE INTERNET Sources: Internet Telecommunications Union, Reporters Without Borders HOUSEHOLDS WITH INTERNET ACCESS & INTERNET FREEDOM 12 10 80 6 4 0 20 0 FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 1301806 UPR 2016 124 RECOMMENDATIONS Zimbabwe’s Constitution of 2013 provides for the rights to privacy, freedom of expression and freedom of the media, access to information and other fundamental rights. These provisions also apply to the protection of these rights online. Zimbabwe also has obligations to protect these rights under international human rights treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. Despite the constitutional guarantees and obligations under international treaties to protect these rights–both offline and online–violations continue to rise. These include attacks on media practitioners, internet shutdowns, indiscriminate surveillance, as well as prohibitively high internet access costs, which exclude many from the digital realm. Therefore, we call upon states to make recommendations aimed at protecting digital rights in Zimbabwe during the third cycle of the UPR. Desist from attacking media practitioners and activists and align provisions of existing laws on the right to freedom of opinion and expression with international standards. Immediately halt the practice of implementing internet shutdowns and any other arbitrary actions that limit access to the internet. Reduce the cost of Internet access and facilitate affordable access for under-served groups like women and school children. Uphold the right to privacy by implementing and enforcing the newly enacted data protection law. SMALL MEDIA MISA ZIMBABWE CHAPTER PARADIGM INITIATIVE E RIGHTS MAN AS HU S N IO AT CI O ZIM BA BW SUBMITTING ORGANISATIONS1 ZIMRIGHTS APC MEDIA ALLIANCE ZIMBABWE ZLHR ZCMIL