New York, May 9, 2008—In separate cases today, a magistrate court in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, released from police custody a top newspaper editor and a leading lawyer working in defense of journalists. Both were formally charged, however, according to local sources. Davison Maruziva, editor of Zimbabwe’s leading Sunday newspaper, The Standard, was charged with…
New York, May 8, 2008—Zimbabwean police arrested a top newspaper editor today and released a photographer jailed since Monday, according to local journalists and news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists remains concerned about the well-being of a leading media lawyer following reports of his hospitalization after his arrest on Wednesday. Davison Maruziva, deputy editor…
New York, May 7, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that a leading Zimbabwean lawyer working in defense of journalists was arrested today in the capital, Harare. Harrison Nkomo remained in police custody late today after his arrest this afternoon for allegedly “undermining the authority or insulting the president,” according to his…
New York, April 23, 2008—A prosecutor dropped two-year-old charges against freelance journalist Sydney Saize in restive Zimbabwe on Tuesday, while a magistrate denied bail to freelancer Frank Chikowore, who has been detained for more than a week. The Committee to Protect Journalists today called for Chikowore’s immediate release. Mutare prosecutor Malvern Musarurwa declined to pursue…
New York, April 16, 2008—CPJ welcomed the release of two foreign journalists from Harare today but remains concerned over Tuesday’s arrest of Zimbabwean freelance journalist Frank Chikowore. Award-winning New York Times journalist Barry Bearak and British freelance journalist Steve Bevan left the country today after Harare Magistrate Gloria Takundwa ruled that there were no legal…
New York, April 16, 2008— In response to news reports that two foreign nationals in Zimbabwe were acquitted today by the magistrate Central Harare Court, the Committee to Protect Journalists released the following statement: “We applaud the decision to acquit New York Times journalist Barry Bearak and a British national accused of practicing journalism without…
New York, April 14, 2008—Two South African satellite engineers, held in Zimbabwe on several charges, including violating the country’s draconian media accreditation laws, were acquitted today, according to news reports and local sources. New York Times reporter Barry Bearak and a British national accused of working as a journalist are due to appear in court…
New York, April 11, 2008—Two South African media workers had their second day in court today in Zimbabwe facing charges of “obstructing the course of justice,” local journalists and the Media Institute of Southern Africa told CPJ. The trial for New York Times reporter Barry Bearak and a British national accused of practicing journalism without…
New York, April 9, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists called today for charges to be dropped against South African journalists Sipho Moses Maseko and Abdulla Ismail Gaibbe and their passports returned. The case was tossed out once by a court magistrate but charges were later reinstated. The men, working for the South African satellite company…