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Editor charged
Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe Chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe)
January 16, 2003

Nqobile Nyathi, the editor in chief of the weekly Financial Gazette was summoned to the Harare Central police station on 15 January for questioning in connection with adverts that appeared in the paper in 2002.

Nyathi in the company of her lawyer, Linda Cook was subsequently charged for contravening section 15 (a) and Section 16 (a) of the Public Order ands Security Act (POSA). The charge arise from adverts the paper ran in 2002 which made allegations against president Robert Mugabe in a mock trial that was being conducted by the National Constitutional Assembly and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Under POSA it is a crime to bring the name, dignity and person of the president into disrepute by publishing anything to that effect or by verbal utterances. Nyathi's lawyer, Cook said that the charges against her client are not sustainable in a democratic country. The police are expected to go by way of summons in the matter.

For more information:
Rashweat Mukundu Research and Information Officer MISA-Zimbabwe
E mail: misa@mweb.co.zw

Visit the MISA-Zimbabwe fact sheet

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