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Journalist arrested
MISA-Zimbabwe
January 18, 2005

Frank Chikowore, a freelance journalist, was on 18 January 2005 arrested by the police in Harare while covering a demonstration by the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), a militant women’s pressure group.

His lawyer, Lawrence Chibwe, confirmed Chikowore’s arrest to MISA-Zimbabwe and said the freelance journalist was being detained at Harare Central Police Station. Chibwe said he was working frantically to secure the release of Chikowore as the police were still to place any charges against him by 5 pm following his arrest in the morning.

Details of the events leading to his arrest were still sketchy although Chibwe hinted that the police were considering charging him under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

Three photojournalists, Tsvangirai Mukwazhi, Desmond Kwande, and Howard Burditt, were in October last year arrested and detained overnight in Harare only to be released without charges while covering demonstrations by members of WOZA.

The WOZA members were protesting against the Non-Governmental Organisations Bill which seeks to ban foreign funding to Ngos involved in human rights and governance issues. The Bill which has since been passed by Parliament is now expected to be signed into law by President Robert Mugabe.

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