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The Hong Kong police announced on Monday they would
investigate the alleged assault on photographer Richard Jones by
Jones, on a freelance assignment for
The 42-year-old photographer managed to see this contrast up close and personal. Jones had nine cuts across his face from Mugabe punching him repeatedly, according to wire reports. "She had several diamond rings that were acting like knuckledusters," Jones told The Times.
Many Zimbabwean
journalists are all too familiar with such rough treatment. Photojournalist Shadreck
Manyere has been in police custody since last November, despite asserting
that he has been tortured. Journalists who spoke to CPJ last year referred to
the post-election recount as the worst period for journalists
in
According to the newspaper, Mugabe, known as the "the First Shopper of Zimbabwe," and her entourage spent 2,000 pounds (US$2,780) per day on luxuries like a Jimmy Choo bag while her country faces unprecedented inflation rates that have forced Zimbabwe's central bank to introduce notes denominated in trillions. Where does Mugabe get diamond-encrusted rings in such a dire economy?
In some small part, Mugabe and his friends may fatten their
coffers by bilking those they despise most: foreign journalists and Zimbabweans
working
for foreign media outlets. On
January 6, the Zimbabwean government announced exorbitant hikes
in fees for foreign media. Foreign correspondents in
Even local newspapers that are printed outside of
Zimbabwe are a source of government income. The government imposed a
massive price hike last June on the import tax paid by private weekly The
Zimbabwean, which is printed in
The payments must be made in foreign currency, Mbanga said,
in either American dollars or South African rands--money the ruling party could
potentially use with exchange rates designed in their favor. Other papers
imported into
The net result of these arbitrary price hikes on the foreign
press may be less critical reporting on a country whose situation grows more dire
by the day. The U.N. estimates that over half the population is in need of food
aid and more than 2,000 people have died of cholera since August. The ruling
party's war of attrition
against critical journalism may eventually succeed in silencing such startling
estimates where direct
censorship against journalists in
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'Foreigners' are not allowed to work in Zimbabwe as journalists for more than six months. For both application and accreditation to work as journalists they pay US$1,500. Foreign media organisations that want to have offices in Zimbabwe pay US$10,000 application fee, and US$20,000 registration fees. An US$2,000 additional complimentary fee is also required.
i am sorry for what happened to you we hope one day this regime will be removed democratically
It is remarkable that Grace Mugabe is allowed to travel so freely and that she is allowed to feel safe enough to go out in public given the situation in Zimbabwe.
SW Radio's Weekly Media Review is well worth a listen and is eye-opening.
Equally worth a listen is an interview with MDC politician David Coltart regarding what was occurring whilst the world awaited the election results during 2008.
My heart goes to you hopefully you get well soon, I thank you for reporting all the information which always goes unreported Mrs Mugabe should be ashamed of her greedy acts whiles Zimbabweans are dying and she continues her sprees a fisrt lady who thinks of themselves the taxpayer's money what goes around comes around the fisrt will be the last. Children are dying crossing to South Africa in search for work and security, shelter, food etc. SHE SHOULD BE EMBARASSED.