Zim govt to spy on cellphones

via Zim govt to spy on cellphones – report | News24 by Duncan Alfreds 2013-10-01

Cape Town – The Zimbabwean government has reportedly permitted its security agents to spy on citizens’ telephone call records, text messages and internet communication, in a move dismissed by legal experts as an infringement on people’s rights.

News Day reported this move comes as a result of the enactment of new postal and telecommunications regulations which were gazetted last Friday.

The report said that in the past, government was only permitted access to people’s phone records when it was absolutely necessary, usually when following up on criminal offences.

Legal experts said the new law was illegal according to the country’s new Charter, saying it was not in tune with Section 57 of the Constitution as it infringed upon people’s rights, including the right to privacy of communication.