Zimbabwe
2005
Voice of the People director arrested; three others freed
New York, December 19, 2005—Three staff members of the independent news production company Voice of the People (VOP) were released this morning after three days in jail, but VOP Director John Masuku was detained and could be charged with broadcasting without a license, local sources told the Committee to Protect Journalists. The broadcast charge carries…
Security agents raid private news production company
New York, December 15, 2005—Zimbabwean police and intelligence agents today raided the independent news production company Voice of the People (VOP) in the capital, Harare. Police confiscated equipment and documents and held three staff members for questioning. Local VOP staffers produce programs on a variety of community and political issues but do not broadcast directly…
Authorities seize independent publisher’s passport
New York, December 9, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the seizure of the passport of Trevor Ncube, owner and director of Zimbabwe’s two remaining independent newspapers and of South Africa’s Mail and Guardian. Ncube was ordered to hand over his passport on Thursday when he landed in Zimbabwe at Bulawayo airport from South Africa…
Zimbabwean journalist acquitted in important test case
New York, August 31, 2005—A magistrate in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, acquitted a journalist today on criminal charges of working without accreditation for the now-banned Daily News, according to his lawyer. Observers say the ruling in favor of Kelvin Jakachira could set an important precedent for several other former Daily News journalists facing the same charge.…
ZIMBABWE
AUGUST 12, 2005 Updated: December 1, 2005 Kelvin Jakachira, Daily News LEGAL ACTION Jakachira, accused of working without accreditation for the banned Daily News, went on trial in a Harare court, according to his lawyer and the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA). Jakachira faced up to two years in prison in what was seen…
ZIMBABWE
AUGUST 12, 2005 Posted September 12, 2005 Willie Mponda, The Sun LEGAL ACTION Mponda, editor of community newspaper The Sun in the central town of Gweru, was convicted of publishing false information “prejudicial to the state” under the repressive Public Order and Security Act (POSA), according to local sources. He was fined Zimbabwean $100,000 (U.S.…
Journalist for banned newspaper goes on trial
New York, August 12, 2005—The trial of a journalist accused of working without accreditation for the banned Daily News opened yesterday in a Harare court, according to his lawyer and the Media Institute for Southern Africa (MISA). Kelvin Jakachira faces up to two years in prison in what is seen as a test case for…