Attacks on journalists hinders investigative reporting

The media in Zimbabwe has been criticized for not doing enough to investigate the alleged killings of 15 opposition MDC supporters since the March 29 controversial polls.
The MDC claims 15 of its supporters have been murdered by Zanu PF activists with the help of the army and other security organs and has announced what it said were the names of the victims of the politically – motivated violence.
Such claims deserve serious and investigative media attention. However, it appears most media are no treating the matter with the seriousness it should be accorded.
While the local media may appear to have not taken such grave claims seriously it is important to note that the current political environment does not allow the media to operate freely and collect information without any hindrances.
Journalists, especially those from the privately owned media, have not been able to operate freely since the March 29 polls. Several have been beaten up, arrested, harassed and tortured by security agents.
Journalists in Zimbabwe continue to be subject to attacks and arbitrary arrests since Zimbabweans went to the polls more than three weeks ago, reports the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International PEN and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
"This media crackdown is a calculated attack on journalists who have revealed what appears to be the loss of the elections by the ruling party," says IFJ.
This, no doubt, has resulted in journalists from the private media falling to get access to information relating to the state-sponsored violence which the ruling party does not want the international community to know.
The state media has capitalized on the failure by the private media to access vital information relating to the violence. The ZBC, The Herald and The Sunday Mail have conveniently ignored acts of violence against opposition activists. Instead, the state media has blamed the MDC for the violence without giving any evidence to support their claims.