OTTAWA (AFP) — Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier on Thursday called on Zimbabwe to respect freedom of the press following the arrest in Harare of two foreign journalists covering the country's elections.
"Canada is a strong proponent of the right to freedom of expression, including free media. This applies equally to Zimbabwean and international media present in the country," Bernier said in a statement.
Zimbabwean police detained two journalists, including a New York Times correspondent, on suspicion of reporting without press accreditation in the tense capital, where voters were waiting to see if long-time President Robert Mugabe had been defeated in his quest for a sixth term.
"We call on the government of Zimbabwe to respect human rights. Journalists in Zimbabwe should be allowed to report freely on the elections and the situation in the country," Bernier said.
He also called on the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission to release "accurate results" of the presidential election without delay.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change has claimed its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential poll outright.
There has still been no official word on the outcome five days after the ballot, but the election commission announced overnight that the MDC had won control of parliament.
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