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Arrest of Standard journalists
Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe
June 30, 2011

The Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe (VMCZ) condemns in the strongest terms possible the arrest on Wednesday this week of Standard Editor, Nevanji Madanhire, senior reporter Patience Nyangove and company representative, Loud Ramakgapola.

The three were picked up by the police over the newspaper's lead story in this week's edition headed "MDC fears for Timba's life." The police are charging the three with criminal defamation under Section 96 of the Criminal Code and with the publication of false statements prejudicial to the State, which undermine public confidence in law enforcement agents under Section 31 (A)(iii).

Nyangove and Ramakagapola were released yesterday and ordered to report to Law and Order Section today while Madanhire was detained overnight.

VMCZ calls for the immediate release of Madanhire while imploring the police to desist from harassing and arresting journalists on frivolous charges.

VMCZ urges the police to resort to the Media Complaints Committee (MCC) to raise their concerns, objections and complaints on stories that they may deem unfair to their profession. Cases such as the unwarranted arrest of the Standard Newspaper journalists are cases where the police can use the self-regulatory mechanism set up by the journalists themselves to deal with such matters.

It is unfortunate that the arrest of the three journalists can only add to the general perception that the ZRP are part of a growing campaign to intimidate the media and stifle public debate.

VMCZ also calls on the inclusive government, particularly the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity to remind the Ministry of Home Affairs that it is patently undemocratic for the ZRP to criminalise the work of journalists moreso where there is recourse through the VMCZ Media Code of Conduct.

It is against this background that VMCZ urges all Zimbabweans, who have a problem with a media story as is published by print or broadcast media in the country to approach the VMCZ Media Complaints Committee to seek redress.

Visit the VMCZ fact sheet

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