| Victim/
Concerned Party |
Violation/
Event/issue |
Date |
Status
of matter |
| Voice of
America (VOA) Studio 7 |
The government
admitted that it is jamming the VOA's Studio 7 broadcasts
into the country. |
1 March
2007 |
The admission
was made in parliament on 28 February 2007 by the deputy Minister
of Information Bright Matonga. Matonga said the actions are
aimed at protecting Zimbabwe's sovereignty and could not
allow foreigners to invade the country's airwaves. |
| Opposition
MDC |
The opposition
MDC lodged an appeal with the Minister of Home Affairs Kembo
Mohadi seeking nullification of the ban on demonstrations and
political rallies imposed by the police on 21 February 2007. |
1 March
2007 |
The matter
is still pending before the courts. |
| Freelance
journalist Herbert Chikosi |
Police
in Masvingo on 26 February 2007 questioned Chikosi following
publication of a story by The Zimbabwean alleging that members
of the force in the town had refused to sing the national anthem
in protest over poor salaries. |
1 March
2007 |
Chikosi
was interrogated for about 40 minutes by Inspector Nyambo. He
was also asked whether MISA-Zimbabwe had offices in Masvingo.
Chikosi denied writing the story. |
| E-TV Reporter
Peter Moyo and Trymore Zvidzai. |
Moyo and
Zvidzai were each convicted and fined Z$40 000 for practicing
journalism in Zimbabwe without accreditation in terms of Section
83 (1) of the Access
to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). |
5 March
2007 |
The pair
were arrested together with Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
employees, Manicaland bureau chief Andrew Neshamba, and Harare-based
cameraperson William Gumbo. Neshamba and Gumbo are being charged
under Section 174 (1) of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The section deals with
criminal abuse of duty by public officers. |
| Bright
Chibvuri, editor of The Worker which is published by the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions. |
Chibvuri
was arrested in Plumtree on 3 March 2007 and spent two nights
in police custody on allegations of practicing journalism without
accreditation. |
6 March
2007 |
He was
remanded out of custody on free bail to 27 March 2007. |
| Zimbabwe
Mirror Newspapers Group (ZMNG). |
The ZMNG
which publishes The Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror closed business
on 8 March 2007 after failing to produce the paper on two consecutive
days due to acute financial problems. |
8 March
2007 |
Although
the management said the closure was a temporary set back, the
papers were still to return to the streets by end of March 2007. |
| Tsvangirai
Mukwazhi, freelance photojournalist. |
The whereabouts
of Mukwazhi who freelances for Associated Press remained unknown
as of 12 March 2007 amid reports he had been arrested together
with leaders of opposition parties during skirmishes in Harare
during which police shot and killed an opposition MDC activist,
Gift Tandare, in cold blood. |
12 March
2007 |
Lawyers
representing Mukwazhi told MISA-Zimbabwe then that they were
battling to ascertain Mukwazhi's whereabouts as the police
were not co-operating with them. |
| Sunsley
Chamunorwa, Editor of The Financial Gazette. |
Chamunorwa,
known for his hard-hitting editorials at the weekly financial
publication was suspended over a story reportedly involving
the business interests of Ray Kaukonde, the Governor of Mashonaland
East province and a strong ruling Zanu PF stalwart. |
12 March
2007 |
Jacob Chisese,
the chief executive officer of The Financial Gazette said Chamunorwa
would remain suspended pending a final decision by the company's
board of directors. |
| Freelance
journalists Tsvangirai Mukwazhi and Tendai Musiyazviriyo, opposition
and civic leaders Morgan Tsvangirai, Aurthur Mutambara and Dr
Lovemore Madhuku, leader of the National Constitutional Assembly. |
High Court
judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu ordered the police to allow lawyers
representing the two detained journalists, opposition and human
rights activists access to their clients. |
12 March
2007 |
Mukwazhi
and Musiyazviriyo were among those being detained at various
police stations in Harare together with leaders of opposition
political parties and civic society organisations. |
| Freelance
Journalists Tsvangirai Mukwazhi and Tendai Musiyazviriyo. |
The two
journalists and leaders of opposition political parties and
civic society organisations finally appear in court following
their arrest on 11 March 2007 when the police disrupted a national
day of prayer in Highfield, Harare. |
13 March
2007 |
They were
all referred to hospital for treatment after they complained
that they had been brutally assaulted by the police following
their arrest and detention. |
| Freelance
journalists Tsvangirai Mukwazhi and Tendai Musiyazviriyo. |
The two
journalists together with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
and other human rights activists are released from policy custody. |
14 March
2007 |
The state
will pursue the matter by way of summons if it is still interested
in the matter. |
| Advocate
Pansy Tlakula, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights
(ACHPR) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression in Africa. |
The Special
Rapporteur sent an urgent letter of appeal to President Robert
Mugabe following a complaint she received from MISA-Zimbabwe
and the Media
Monitoring Project Zimbabwe on the deteriorating situation
on freedom of expression in Zimbabwe, the brutal assault of
Tsvangirai Mukwazhi and the continued harassment, unlawful arrests
and detention of journalists. |
20 March
2007 |
She urged
President Mugabe to respect the rights enshrined in the African
Charter on Human and People's Rights to which Zimbabwe
is a state party in particular Article 9 and the Declaration
on the Principles of Freedom of Expression in Africa. |
| Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), MISA-Zimbabwe Legal Officer
Wilbert Mandinde. |
The lawyers
who were representing freelance photojournalist Tsvangirai Mukwazhi
were barred from entering Machipisa police station to secure
the release of Mukwazhi's motor vehicle, a laptop computer
and digital camera. |
22 March
2007 |
The lawyers
said they would file for an urgent High Court order to secure
release of the vehicle which was impounded by the police following
Mukwazhi's arrest on 11 March 2007. |
| Jan Raath
and Peta Thornycroft, Zimbabwean-based foreign correspondents. |
The government
through the Ministry of Information and Publicity threatened
and warned the two journalists to steer clear of Zimbabwe's
security matters or risk unspecified reprisals. |
23 March
2007 |
The government
issued the threat in the wake of the growing international condemnation
of Zimbabwe's dented human rights record following the
brutal assault of leaders of opposition political parties, civic
society organisations, human rights activists and journalists
while in police custody. |
| Tsvangirai
Mukwazhi, freelance photojournalist |
The police
released the motor vehicle they had seized from the freelance
journalist following the intervention of his lawyers. |
26 March
2007 |
The police
were, however still to release his laptop computer and digital
camera which they said they were failing to locate. |
| Bright
Chibvuri, Editor of The Worker published by the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions. |
Chibvuri
is facing charges of practicing journalism without accreditation
in violation of Section 83 (1) of the repressive Access to Information
and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA). |
27 March
2007 |
He was
further remanded out of custody to 26 April 2007. |
| Frank Chikowore,
freelance journalist. |
Chikowore
was arrested in Harare when police cordoned off the central
business district in Harare and raided the offices of the opposition
MDC at Harvest House. |
28 March
2007 |
Chikowore
was detained at Harare Central Police Station together with
35 MDC administrative members of staff and supporters who were
arrested during the police raid. |
| Frank Chikowore,
freelance journalist. |
Chikowore
is released from police custody without being charged. |
29 March
2007 |
Chikowore
who is duly accredited in terms of the repressive Access to
Information and Protection of Privacy Act was released after
spending a night in police cells following his unlawful arrest. |
