When telling the truth becomes a crime

The Zimbabwe government displays an openly hostile attitude toward media freedom, and a draconian legislative framework continues to effectively inhibit the activities of journalists and media outlets. Surveillance, threats, imprisonment, censorship, blackmail, abuse of power and denial of justice are all brought to bear to keep firm control over the news.

It was in August 2007 when the privately-owned Zimbabwean newspaper "The Standard" published a list with the names of 15 journalists that appeared to have been leaked from the security service. The journalists who work for private media and do independent investigative reporting have been accused of working with "hostile anti-Zimbabwean western governments" and threatened to get physically assaulted.

Boldwill Hungwe, 32, works as a photojournalist for "The Standard" and its sister paper "Zimbabwe Independent" and is an alumnus of the International Institute for Journalism of InWEnt -  Capacity Building International, Germany. In 2007, he fled temporarily into hiding after being ordered by police to turn himself in for taking pictures of a lawyer who was abducted and tortured during interrogation.

What it means to wage a daily struggle not only for food and energy but for justice and the freedom of expression Boldwill Hungwe tells in his pictures and proves that the truth has still a voice even in a repressive regime. In the World Press Photo Contest 2008, Hungwe won the 2^nd prize in the category "Spot News".

Presentation and discussion with Boldwill Hungwe and Foster Dongozi, Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, hosted by: International Institute for Journalism of InWEnt - Capacity Building International, Germany