Working as an independent journalist in Zimbabwe has never been the safest of career options. But this week it got more dangerous.
The ruling party of President Robert Mugabe used its parliamentary majority to push through changes to already tough media laws that will make unregistered reporters liable to a two-year jail term.
Dozens of reporters from the private press have been arrested since the now infamous Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was passed two years ago, shortly after Mr Mugabe's contested win in presidential polls.
Crafted by Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, the act banned foreign reporters and said all local journalists had to be licensed by the official media commission.
But the act did not lay down penalties for reporters who worked without a press card. Mr Moyo said this week's amendments to the law were intended to 'protect the state from attack by enemies of the country'.
A former university lecturer in political sciences, he was a vociferous critic of the government in the 1990s. That changed when he was catapulted into Mr Mugabe's cabinet four years ago.