SECTOR 1 Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator. 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 1.6 (2008: 1.8 ; 2006: 1.3) 1.2 The right to freedom of expression is practised and citizens, including journalists, are asserting their rights without fear. Analysis: The 2007 report listed a number of instances where, for example, the police, Zimbabwe is difficult to gauge when looking at issues of freedom of expression because there are pockets of self-expression that go completely unopposed while at the same time people have been persecuted for expressing their opinions – harassed, intimidated, assaulted, arrested, tortured or even killed. Memories of the violence ahead of the Presidential run-off elections in June 2008 are still fresh. There were instances of gross human rights violations, apparently condoned by state authorities or perpetrated by members or sympathisers of the then ruling party. People in city centres were harassed and viciously attacked and their property destroyed. In the rural areas people have been violently attacked ,maimed, some went missing and their bodies were found after they had been brutally murdered. . Compared to 2008 it is now easier for journalists to get around and do their work – at least for the time being. Private media houses publish critical stories without much fear and demonstrate considerable courage. Still the question remains whether a particular story one intends to write about is worth the risk. There is always the threat of economic costs as a result of defamation actions with the demand for “astronomical” damages or of “physical costs” - being beaten up by faceless state agents. The volume of violence seems to be turned up or down depending on the time and the situation. It increases and intensifies before an election and decreases 14 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER ZIMBABWE 2010