Stephen Chan, a professor of world politics at SOAS, University of London, has warned Zimbabwe against “carelessly” antagonising Qatar.
This warning follows Mehluli Dube, a former Fidelity Printers official, who secured the attachment of Al Jazeera’s property after being implicated in the “Gold Mafia” documentary, which exposed Zimbabwe’s gold smuggling syndicates.
Episode 2, titled “Smoke and Mirrors,” accused Dube of corruptly signing off licenses for gold smuggling, allegedly receiving US$3,000 per month.
Dube claims the documentary damaged his reputation and sought a court order to attach Al Jazeera’s property as part of a defamation claim against the “peregrini respondent” (an international party not domiciled within the court’s jurisdiction).
Justice Siyabona Musithu granted Dube’s request in a ruling at the Harare High Court. Musithu said that the case was of public interest and deserved to be tested in court to determine the validity of the allegations.
He affirmed that the High Court has jurisdiction, and thus, Al Jazeera’s property could indeed be held as requested.
Posting on X, Chan suggested the lawsuit might be sponsored by Zimbabwean authorities as revenge against Al Jazeera for exposing corruption among the elite.
He warned that such a move could backfire, considering Qatar’s substantial international influence.
He wrote:
<blockquote>
An interesting lawsuit. Whether it has merit, the courts will decide. If it is somehow a ‘sponsored’ suit in revenge against Al Jazeera, it should be kept in mind Qatar’s huge international influence. Not a country to pick a fight with carelessly.
</blockquote>
Al Jazeera, a state-funded broadcaster based in Doha, Qatar, is used by the Gulf State as a powerful tool to advance its foreign policy through public diplomacy.
By broadcasting news and perspectives that align with its interests, Qatar can influence public opinion and elite views both regionally and internationally.
Several countries have restricted Al Jazeera. Egypt has banned Al Jazeera since 2013, accusing it of inciting violence.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have blocked Al Jazeera’s websites and channels.
Bahrain has restricted Al Jazeera’s broadcasts, and Israel has called for the closure of Al Jazeera’s Jerusalem bureau and blocked its transmission.
These restrictions are often part of broader political conflicts and accusations of biased or provocative coverage.
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Pindula News

Zimbabwe is warned not to fight with Qatar over a documentary about gold smuggling. An official mentioned in the documentary went to court to sue Al Jazeera, the broadcaster, for defamation. The court allowed him to attach Al Jazeera's property. A professor warned that Zimbabwe should not anger Qatar, who has a lot of power internationally, by suing the broadcaster. Al Jazeera is known for influencing public opinion, and some countries have even banned or restricted it. In the end, the lawsuit could cause more trouble for Zimbabwe if they are not careful.

Zimbabwe Advised To Avoid Confrontation With Qatar Over "Gold Mafia"

Royal Air Maroc (RAM), the Moroccan national carrier, has cancelled seven flights scheduled to depart for Doha, Qatar on Wednesday ahead of the World Cup semi-final.
The decision to cancel the flights has left hundreds of Atlas Lions fans in Morocco disappointed as they will most likely miss the semi-final clash between their country and France tonight.
The decision was made after Morocco’s FA promised to give fans 13 000 free tickets to the clash with France.
In an emailed statement to the Reuters news agency, Royal Air Maroc said:
<blockquote>
Following the latest restrictions imposed by the Qatari authorities, Royal Air Maroc regrets to inform customers of the cancellation of their flights operated by Qatar Airways.
</blockquote>
It was unclear why Qatari officials ordered the airline to stop the flights.
The decision meant some supporters who had already booked match tickets or hotel rooms were unable to travel.
RAM said it would reimburse air tickets and apologised to customers.

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