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Journalists assaulted at parliament
MISA-Zimbabwe
July 25, 2011

Journalists Aaron Ufumeli and Lev Mukarati were on 23 July 2011 reportedly assaulted and harassed by suspected Zanu PF supporters who were part of a public hearing on the Human Rights Bill that was being conducted at the Parliament of Zimbabwe in Harare.

Ufumeli, chief photographer with Alpha Media Holdings publishers of The Standard, Zimbabwe Independent and Newsday, was manhandled by the mob that tried to grab his camera while the others demanded that he delete the pictures he had taken.

Mukarati who works for the Financial Gazette was attacked with clenched fists and kicked by the crowd. The mob accused the journalists who work for the private press of writing falsehoods as well as not singing the national anthem in addition to working for the "wrong papers".

MP for Hwange Brian Tshuma was also reportedly assaulted by the mob.

MISA-Zimbabwe position

MISA-Zimbabwe condemns the assaults and calls upon the police to deal with this lawlessness and arrest any members of the pubic bent on violating the media's freedom to access information and the citizens' right to freedom of expression and association.

The fact that the attacks happened at Parliament Building with an MP reportedly being assaulted under the police's watch speaks volumes about these acts of impunity that place the lives of journalists and innocent citizens at great risk.

This lawlessness is very worrying indeed given that the Parliament of Zimbabwe is not only a high security zone but is also supposed to be the citadel of civility and permissiveness of diverse views as evidenced by the multi-party composition of both the House of Assembly and the Senate.

The fact that none of the assailants were arrested gives the culprits free reign and endangers the lives of Zimbabwean journalists especially those working for the private press as their safety and security cannot be guaranteed by the police as they conduct their lawful professional duties throughout the country.

The three principals to the inclusive government, President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his Deputy Professor Arthur Mutambara and their respective political parties, should demand explanations from the police on what transpired for purposes of accounting for the culprits who should face the full wrath of the law.

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