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Zanu PF supporter storms Daily News offices, urinates on floor
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
April 13, 2012

In a bizarre incident, which left Daily News staffers shocked, woman identified as Sheila Svesve today 13 April 2012 stormed The Daily News offices in Harare's Central Business District accusing reporters at the private media house of disrespecting President Robert Mugabe by reporting on his ill-health. Svesve threatened to assault all staffers and bomb the newspaper's offices, claiming to have back in the form of the infamous Mbare based Chipangano terror group before removing her pants and urinating on the floor.

In a statement released soon after the incident, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition raised concern over the increased cases of harassment ad intimidation of the media since the beginning of the year, blaming it on impunity and police inaction.

'This is not the first time that ZANU PF supporters have attacked the private press this year. In March, alleged ZANU PF supporters effected a 'ban' on The Daily News in Mutoko and Murehwa while alleged ZANU PF youths tore up copies of the newspaper in Kadoma. Members of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association also threatened to shut down NewsDay. The culprits in the above criminal acts have not been apprehended. Such criminal acts should be frowned upon and perpetrators arrested as a step towards curbing the growing impunity among ZANU PF supporters and militia groups who attack private newspaper personnel and pro-democracy advocates,' reads the statement.

The Coalition called upon the police to investigate and arrest Svesve for the rogue behaviour while the inclusive government was called upon to protect press freedom as per the 1992 Windhoek Declaration on Press Freedom.

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