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Hearing against journalist fails to kick-off
MISA-Zimbabwe
August 20, 2007

The state-controlled Media and Information Commission (MIC) on 20 August 2007 failed to proceed with the hearing against photo-journalist Tsvangirai Mukwazhi after his lawyers argued that the section of the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) under which the statutory regulatory body was charging him was inapplicable.

Beatrice Mtetwa, Mukwazhi's lawyer, told MISA-Zimbabwe the MIC had charged Mukwazhi under section 52B (1) (b) of the draconian Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act which relates to application to operate a mass media service. Mukwazhi has never applied to operate a mass media service.

Consequently the MIC stated that it would come up with a fresh charge and re-summon Mukwazhi.

The MIC is accusing Mukwazhi of deliberately presenting wrong information to the statutory body when he applied for renewal of his 2007 accreditation pertaining to the organisations he freelances for.

The MIC is claiming that Mukwazhi should have applied for fresh registration as his circumstances had changed since his original application for accreditation in terms of the repressive Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA).

Background

On 11 March 2007 Mukwazhi was arrested together with his colleague Tendai Musiyazviriyo, a film producer, with whom he freelances for Associated Press (AP). They were brutally assaulted while in police custody following their arrest.

The unlawful arrest and subsequent severe assault of Mukwazhi and Musiyazviriyo together with the leaders of opposition parties and civic society organisations while in police custody, resulted in them being hospitalised despite the fact that the two journalists had valid accreditation cards issued by the state -controlled MIC.

They were arrested in Harare's suburb of Highfield after police sealed off Zimbabwe

Grounds ahead of a planned national day of prayer organised under the auspices of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign. The arrest and brutal assault of Mukwazhi in March 2007 was of great concern as his whereabouts remained unknown until he appeared in court two days later.

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