MISA ANNUAL REPORT 2020 Regional & Global Lobby and Advocacy MISA Zimbabwe made submissions to the 66th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights on the media freedom and freedom of expression operating environment in Zimbabwe. MISA Zimbabwe expressed its concerns with the increasing number of attacks on media workers and the deteriorating safety and security environment for journalists in the course of the implementation of the COVID-19 regulations. Impact Subsequently, the ACHPR raised alarm at the deteriorating human rights situation in Zimbabwe, particularly the arbitrary arrests and detention of journalists and women human rights defenders. Among other issues, the ACHPR condemned reports of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, including violations of rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. The Commission called on the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure that measures taken by its law enforcement agents do not lead to violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, including expression, association and assembly. The ACHPR also called on the government to guarantee protection of the rights of human rights defenders, political activists, journalists, health care workers and other peaceful protestors, including from arbitrary arrest and detention. Cybersecurity and Data Protection Bill Following the gazetting of the Cybersecurity and Data Protection Bill and the subsequent parliamentary public hearings into the proposed laws, MISA Zimbabwe through its regional and international networks and allies mobilised international organisations such as Facebook and Google to share their experiences and best practice on internet regulation. Resultantly, the organisations wrote to the government and parliament directly highlighting their conerns on the security centric approach and bias as contained in the provisions of the Bill. They presented their experiences based on other jurisdictions and best practices. Further, global institutions such as IFEX, Pen International, Privacy International and AFEX Africa petitioned both the parliament of Zimbabwe, Southern Africa Development Community; Africa Union, United Nations and World Bank, highlighting concerns on the Bill’s potential to compromising the right to expression, privacy and access to information through the Bill. ‘‘ Among other issues, the ACHPR condemned reports of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, including violations of rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. 17 https://zimbabwe.misa.org