Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono denied bail in obstruction case
New York, November 12, 2020 – Zimbabwean authorities should stop their relentless victimization of award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and ensure that the charges against him are dropped, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today in the capital, Harare, magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa denied Chin’ono bail on a charge of defeating or obstructing justice, claiming that the…
Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono rearrested, charged with contempt of court
New York, November 3, 2020 – Zimbabwean police arrested journalist Hopewell Chin’ono at his home in Harare, the capital, earlier today and charged him with contempt of court for an October 28 tweet citing judges’ alleged criticism of Zimbabwean Chief Justice Luke Malaba, according to a Twitter post by Rose Hanzi, executive director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. According…
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono released on bail, with restrictions, in Zimbabwe
New York, September 2, 2020 — Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was released today after 44 days in pre-trial detention, following a ruling from Harare High Court Judge Tawanda Chitapi that imposed restrictions on the journalist’s actions while on bail, according to news reports and Doug Coltart, a member of the journalist’s defense team, who spoke…
Zimbabwean court bars lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa from representing Hopewell Chin’ono
New York, August 18, 2020 — In response to Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna’s ruling today that Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa be barred from representing jailed journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, as reported by the state-run Herald newspaper, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Magistrate Ngoni Nduna’s decision to disqualify Beatrice Mtetwa from…
CPJ joins letter calling on African Union to secure release of Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono
The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined eight other press and human rights groups in sending a letter to Cyril Ramaphosa, the chair of the African Union and the president of South Africa, calling on him to use all means available to secure the release of jailed Zimbabwean reporter Hopewell Chin’ono. Chin’ono, an award-winning investigative…
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono arrested, charged with incitement in Zimbabwe
New York, July 20, 2020 – Zimbabwean authorities should immediately release independent investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and drop the incitement charges against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 11 a.m. today, Chin’ono posted two short messages on his Twitter account, which are no longer available after his account was later deactivated,…
Freelance reporter charged with insulting Zimbabwe’s president
On June 29, 2020, Godfrey Mtimba, a freelance journalist in Zimbabwe’s southern town of Masvingo, was charged with insulting and undermining the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the journalist and his lawyer, Phillip Shumba, told CPJ via messaging app. Mtimba was charged under Section 33 (2) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act,…
Two Zimbabwean journalists charged with violating COVID-19 lockdown
New York, June 23, 2020 — Zimbabwean prosecutors should drop the charges filed against two journalists for violating the country’s COVID-19 lockdown regulations and ensure that they can report freely about alleged abuses by security forces, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Frank Chikowore, a freelance journalist, and Samuel Takawira, a reporter for the…
Political party security officials assault Zimbabwean journalist
On January 21, 2020, security officers affiliated with the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance, a Zimbabwean opposition group, barred journalist Robert Tapfumaneyi from covering a meeting in the capital, Harare, assaulted him, and broke his camera lens, according to the journalist, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, news reports, and a statement by the…
CPJ calls on SADC heads of state to prioritize press freedom and the safety of journalists
CPJ writes to the executive secretary and heads of state of the Southern African Development Community ahead of the 39th Ordinary Summit, urging them to prioritize press freedom and the safety of journalists in SADC.