Name of Journalist(s)/Media House/Victim

Violation/Crime committed/Issue/event/
Announcement

Date of arrest/Occurrence of Event/issue

Status of matter /proceedings

Bornwell Chakaodza, editor the Standard.

Publication of an "offensive" front page picture of President Robert Mugabe hitching up his trousers at the Harare Agricultural Show.

The picture was published on 29 August 2004

The state-controlled Media and Information Commission (MIC) is demanding a negative of the picture. Chakaodza has through his lawyers submitted that they cannot produce the negative in question because the picture was taken using a digital camera.

Iden Wetherell, Vincent Kahiya and Itai Dzamara of the Independent

The three who are being charged with criminal defamation arising from the publication of a story alleging that President Mugabe had commandeered an Air Zimbabwe plane to the Far East, have applied for removal from remand.

Appeared before Magistrate Omega Mugumbati on 4 October for further remand.

Mugumbati who was expected to make her ruling on 1 November 2004, remanded the three to 10 January 2005.

Freelance photo-journalists, Tsvangirai Mukwazhi, Desmond Kwande and Howard Burditt.

Arrested and detained while covering a demonstration by women members of the WOZA pressure group protesting against the Ngo Bill.

5 October 2004

Released without charges after spending a night in police cells.

Minister of Information and Publicity, Professor Jonathan Moyo

Access to Information and Protection of Privacy (Amendment) Bill tabled before parliament.

The Bill seeks to provide a penalty fine and imprisonment term for journalists practicing without government accreditation.

6 October 2004

Bill is being debated in Parliament.

Richard Musazulwa, Standard Midlands Correspondent

Charged under AIPPA for publishing falsehoods arising from a story published on 22 August 2004. The story alleged that hungry Zanu PF youths had stormed a Heroes luncheon hosted by military chiefs at Thornhill Airbase in Gweru.

13 October 2004

Remanded out of custody to 28 October 2004 on $50 000 bail.

Zimbabwe Social Forum

Barred from convening public meeting. The police said the meeting could result in the disturbance of public peace and order.

13 October 2004

The meeting was eventually held on 28 -30 October 2004.

Patrick Chinamasa, the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs

The minister told parliament that the opposition MDC would not be allowed access to the state media because the opposition would use the opportunity to denigrate the government.

13 October 2004

The minister’s assertions fly in the face of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections. The Principles allow political parties equitable access to state media.

Owen Matava, editor of the Kwekwe-based Midlands News.

Arrested and questioned by the police over publication of a story detailing the retirement plans of Cephas Msipa, the Governor of the Midlands.

13 October 2004

Police recorded his warned and cautioned statement and advised that they would proceed by way of summons. Likely to be charged under Section 80 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act which deals with publication of falsehoods.

Desmond Kwande and Tichaona Chifamba, photo-journalist and assistant editor of The Daily Mirror, respectively.

Kwande was arrested outside the High Court after the acquittal of MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, of treason charges. Kwande had taken pictures of armed policemen barricading the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. Chifamba was arrested after he sought clarity of the nature of the offence against Kwande.

15 October 2004

Released after paying admission of guilty fines of $25 000 each under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.