MTANDAO WA WATETEZI WA HAKI ZA BINADAMU 'THRDC' WAMPONGEZA WAZIRI NAPE NNAUYE KUFUNGULIA MAGAZETI YA MWANAHALISI, MAWIO, MSETO NA TANZANIA DAIMA



MTANDAO wa Watetezi wa Haki za Binadamu Tanzania (THRDC) unampongeza Mhe. Nape Moses Nnauye, Waziri wa Habari, Mawasiliano na Teknolojia ya Habari kwa kufungulia magazeti manne yaliyokuwa yamefungiwa na kutoa leseni mpya.


Pongezi hizo zimetolewa kupitia taarifa iliyotolewa na Afisa Habari wa Mtandao wa Watetezi wa Haki za Binadamu Tanzania (THDRC) leo Februari, 2022 jijini Dar es Salaam huku ikiyataja magazeti hayo kuwa ni,Mseto,Mawio, MwanaHalisi na Tanzania Daima.


Kwa mujibu wa taarifa hiyo,Mhe. Nape Nnauye ana rekodi nzuri ya kutetea uhuru wa vyombo vya habari nchini Tanzania.


"Aidha, tunampongeza Waziri kwa ahadi yake na utayari wake wa kushirikiana na wadau wa vyombo vya habari kujadili marekebisho ya Sheria ya Vyombo vya Habari ya mwaka 2016. Mhe. Waziri amefungulia magazeti hayo wakati akihutubia mkutano wa wahariri wa habari ulioandaliwa na Taasisi ya Uongozi na Jukwaa la Wahariri Tanzania,"imeeleza sehemu ya taarifa ya THRDC.


Kufungiwa kwa gazeti la Mseto


Aidha,kwa mujibu wa taarifa hiyo Gazeti la Mseto lilifungiwa tarehe 10 Agosti 2016, wiki moja baada ya kuchapisha habari kuhusu ufisadi wa kiwango cha juu uliomhusisha Naibu Waziri ndani ya serikali ya Tanzania.


Gazeti lilifungiwa kwa mujibu wa sheria ambayo ilimpa mamlaka Waziri wa Habari kufungia uchapishaji na usambazwaji wa gazeti endapo ataona ni kwa "maslahi ya umma, au kulinda amani".


"Hata hivyo, gazeti hili lilipinga uamuzi huo wa kufungiwa kwenye Mahakama ya Haki ya Afrika Mashariki tarehe 7 Oktoba 2016, kwa hoja ya kwamba amri hiyo ilikiuka haki ya uhuru wa kujieleza na uhuru wa vyombo vya habari kinyume na kanuni za msingi zilizopo kwenye Ibara ya 6(d), 7(2) na 8(1)(c) ya Mkataba wa kuanzishwa kwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.


"Mahakama ya Haki ya Afrika Mashariki iliamua kwamba uamuzi wa Waziri kufungia gazeti hilo ulikiuka haki ya uhuru wa kujieleza na uhuru wa vyombo vya habari na hivyo basi Tanzania ilikiuka Mkataba wa kuanzishwa kwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.


"Mahakama ilisisitiza kwamba Waziri alifungia gazeti hilo pasipo kuzingatia sheria na alilifungia gazeti hilo kwa maoni yake mwenyewe. Hivyo basi Mahakama ilimuamuru Waziri kubatilisha amri hiyo na kuruhusu gazeti hilo kuanza tena kuchapishwa,"imeongeza taarifa hiyo.


Kufungiwa kwa gazeti la Mawio


Gazeti la Mawio lilifungiwa kwa miezi 24 kuanzia tarehe 15 Juni 2017. Lilifungiwa kwa madai ya kuchapisha picha za marais wawili wastaafu Benjamin Mkapa na Jakaya Kikwete katika toleo lake la tarehe 15 - 21 Juni, chapisho hilo liliwahusisha wastaafu hao na sakata la mchanga wa madini tofauti na maagizo ya serikali.


Kwa mujibu wa THRDC Gazeti la Mawio lilipinga kufungiwa kwake kwenye Mahakama Kuu ya Tanzania. Tarehe 13 Desemba 2018 Jaji Benhajj S. Masoud alitoa uamuzi kwamba agizo la Waziri wa Habari lilikuwa kinyume cha sheria kwasababu hapakuwa na usawa wa kusikilizwa kabla ya kufungiwa gazeti hilo.


Kufungiwa kwa gazeti la MwanaHalisi


THDRC imeeleza kuwa, Gazeti la MwanaHalisi lilifungiwa kwa miaka miwili, kuanzia tarehe 19 Septemba 2017, kwa tuhuma za kuchapisha taarifa zisizo na maadili na zenye kuhatarisha usalama wa nchi, taarifa iliyochapishwa na gazeti hilo ilikuwa na kichwa Habari kwamba, 'Watanzania wamuombee nani, Rais au Tundu Lissu? ambaye ni Mwanasheria na Mwanasiasa wa upinzani ambaye alipigwa risasi mara kadhaa na watu wasiojulikana tumboni na miguuni tarehe 7 Septemba 2017.


Kufutwa kwa leseni ya gazeti la Tanzania Daima


Kwa mujibu wa mtandao huo, leseni ya gazeti la Tanzania Daima ilifutwa tarehe 23 Juni 2020. Leseni yake ilifutwa kwa madai ya kukiuka sheria mbalimbali za nchi na kufanya kazi kinyume na maadili ya uandishi wa habari.


"Hata hivyo, sheria ambazo zilidaiwa kuvunjwa hazikuwekwa wazi. Leseni ilifutwa kwa mujibu wa Kifungu cha 6 (b) cha Sheria ya Vyombo vya Habari ya mwaka 2016 ambacho kinatoa mamlaka kwa mkurugenzi wa habari kufuta leseni endapo mwenye leseni ameshindwa kuzingatia sheria na masharti ya leseni.


"Mtandao umefurahishwa na juhudi au jitihada za Wizara. Kufunguliwa kwa magazeti hayo ni kuimarisha upatikanaji wa habari na uhuru wa kujieleza. Pia ni dalili inayoonyesha kuheshimu haki ya uhuru wa kujieleza, upatikanaji wa habari kama inavyotakiwa kwenye ibara ya 18 ya Katiba ya Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ya mwaka 1977 na Sheria za kikanda na kimataifa,"imeeleza taarifa ya mtandao huo.


Ndugu Saed Ahmed Kubenea, Mkurugenzi mtendaji wa magazeti ya Mawio na Mseto akitoa salamu za shukrani kwa waziri, ameiomba serikali kuangalia namna ya kutoa ruzuku kwa vyombo vya habari binafsi kwa sababu hali ya kiuchumi kwa vyombo binafsi vya habari ni mbaya sana, magazeti yaliyofunguliwa yanaweza yasionekane mtaani maana yapo yaliyojifunga yenyewe kwa sababu za kiuchumi.


Marekebisho ya Sheria


Kwa mujibu wa THRDC, ikumbukwe kwamba vifungu kumi na sita vya Sheria ya Vyombo vya Habari viliamriwa kuwa vipo kinyume na Mkataba wa Kuanzishwa kwa Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki katika kesi namba 02 ya mwaka 2017 iliyofunguliwa na Mtandao wa Watetezi wa Haki za Binadamu Tanzania, Baraza la Habari Tanzania, pamoja na Kituo cha Sheria na Haki za Binadamu.


"Uamuzi huo ulitolewa mnamo Machi 28, 2019 katika Mahakama ya Haki ya Afrika Mashariki. Vifungu hivyo vinatoa mamlaka makubwa kwa Waziri ikiwemo kufungia vyombo vya habari. Vifungu hivyo ni 7 (3) (a), (b), (c), (f), (g), (h), (i) na (j), 13,14,19,20, 21, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 50, 52, 53, 54,58 na 59.


"Kupitia uamuzi uliotolewa na Mahakama hiyo serikali ya Tanzania iliagizwa kufanya marekebisho ya vifungu kumi na sita vya Sheria ya Vyombo Habari ili kuendana na viwango vya kimataifa vya uhuru wa kujieleza.


"THRDC inaiomba Wizara kufanya marekebisho ya sheria na kanuni zote zinazominya uhuru wa kujieleza na upatikanaji wa habari nchini Tanzania. Sheria hizo ni Pamoja na Sheria ya Makosa ya Mtandao ya mwaka 2015, Sheria ya Vyombo vya Habari ya mwaka 2016, Kanuni za Maudhui ya Kielektroniki na Posta (Kanuni za Maudhui ya Kimtandao) za mwaka 2020 n.k,"imefafanua taarifa hiyo.


Aidha, THRDC imebainisha kuwa, Serikali inaweza kuitisha mkutano na wadau wa habari nchini ili kujadili maboresho na kutoa mapendekezo ya namna ya kuboresha sheria zinazominya uhuru wa vyombo vya habari.


"Mtandao wa Watetezi wa Haki za Binadamu Tanzania umefurahishwa na jitihada zilizochukuliwa na Mhe. Waziri. Huu ni wakati muafaka kwa serikali kurekebisha sheria na kanuni zote zinazominya uhuru wa kujieleza na upatikanaji wa habari hapa nchini,"imeongeza taarifa hiyo.

THE Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition (THRDC) vehemently congratulates Hon.Nape Moses Nnauye, Minister of Information, Communication, and Information Technology for lifting the ban and issuing new license to four newspapers including Mseto, Mawio, MwanaHalisi and Tanzania Daima newspapers. 

In a statement issued by the THRDC Public Relations Officer today 10th, February 2022 in Dar es Salaam, Hon.Nape Nnauye has a promising record of defending media freedoms in Tanzania. 

"We further, congratulate the Minister for his promise and willingness to engage the media stakeholders to discuss on the amendments to the Media Services Act of 2016. The hon. minister has lifted the ban of the aforesaid newspapers today when addressing the information editors’ meeting organized by Uongozi Institute and Tanzania Editors Forum (TFF),"the statement reads in part.

The Ban of Mseto Newspaper

According to theTHRDC,Mseto newspaper was banned on 10th August 2016 a week after it published a story about high level corruption involving an Assistant Minister in the Tanzanian government. 

"It was banned pursuant to a law that gave the Minister of Information, the power to ban a publication where he is of the opinion that it was in “the public interest, or in the interest of peace and good order so to do”.

"However, mseto newspaper challenged such a ban before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) on 7th October 2016, arguing that the order infringed the right to freedom of expression and press freedom and, therefore, violated the fundamental and operational principles under Articles 6(d), 7(2) and 8(1)(c) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (EAC Treaty).

"EACJ declared that a Ministerial order banning mseto newspaper violated the rights to freedom of expression and press freedom and Tanzania was, therefore, in breach of the EAC Treaty.

The court further ruled that the Minister had acted unreasonably, unlawfully, and disproportionately by imposing the ban “whimsically” and based on his own opinion. It ordered the Minister to annul the order and allow the newspaper to resume publication,"the statement reads in part.

Ban of Mawio Newspaper

Mawio newspaper was banned for 24 months from 15th June 2017 with the government suspending both its print edition and online platforms. 

According to the THRDC, it was suspended for publishing the photos of two former presidents Benjamin Mkapa and Jakaya Kikwete on its 15th – 21st June edition and linking them to a government probe into allegations of misconduct in the mining sector.

"Mawio newspaper successfully challenged the ban before the High Court of Tanzania. On 13th December 2018 Hon. Judge Benhajj S. Masoud ruled that the order by the Minister of Information was illegal and irrational. Concluding that the paper had been banned without a proper and fair hearing, Judge Masoud quashed aside the government’s order of banning the newspaper,"the statement reads in part.

Ban of MwanaHalisi newspaper

MwanaHalisi newspaper was banned for two years, starting from 19th September 2017, on allegations of unethical reporting and endangering national security, regarding a published story asking, 'whom should Tanzanians pray for, the President or Tundu Lissu? a Tanzanian lawyer and opposition politician. 

"The article called for prayers for Hon. Lissu who had been shot several times by unidentified assailants in his stomach and legs on 7 September 2017,"the statement reads in part.

Cancellation of Tanzania Daima’s License

Tanzania Daima’s license was cancelled from operation on 23rd June 2020. Its licence was cancelled allegedly for breaching different laws of the country and operating against ethics of journalism. 

However, the laws that were alleged to be breached were not disclosed. The cancellation was made pursuant to section 6 (b) of the Media Services Act, 2016. The section gives discretionary powers to the director of information to cancel the licence where the licensee fails to comply with the terms and condition prescribed in the licence.

"THRDC welcomes these efforts and engagements from the ministry. Lifting the ban of newspaper is an enhancement of peoples’ access to information and freedom of expression. It is also an indication of complying with the right to freedom of expression, peoples’ access to information as guaranteed under article 18 of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977 and international human rights instruments,"the statement reads in part.

Mr. Saed Ahmed Kubenea, the managing director of Mawio and Mseto newspapers while addressing the Minister, has requested for financial support from the government to private media outlets, he said, “...we are pleased for the license,... the government should find alternative means of supporting the private media outlets (like issuing subsidies)..., the economic situation of private media outlets is very bad, the lifted newspapers may not resume their operations because of economic crisis, despite of being issued with the new license”

Amendments of the Laws

It should be remembered that sixteen provisions of the Media Services Act were successfully challenged by the Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition, Media Council of Tanzania, Legal and Human Rights Centre at EACJ in 2019. Such provisions give enormous powers to the Minister. banning media outlets. Provisions challenged were Section 7 (3) (a), (b), (c), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j), 13,14,19,20, 21, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 50, 52, 53, 54,58 and 59 through reference no 02 of 2017.

Through the decision issued by EACJ on 28th March 2019, the government of Tanzania was ordered to amend sixteen provisions of the Media Services Act to be in line with the international standards on freedom of expression.

THRDC humbly requests the ministry to amend all restrictive laws, Regulations which are the bar to freedom of expression and access to information in Tanzania. 

Such laws are the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, the Media Services Act of 2016, the Electronic and Postal Communications (Online Content Regulations) of 2020 etc. 

The government may call media stakeholders and convene a meeting for discussing proposals for amending the media restrictive laws.

"THRDC is pleased by the efforts taken by the minister, it is the right time for the government to amend all restrictive laws and regulations affecting freedom of expression and those which hinder free access to information,"the statement reads in part.

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