Zimbabwe Chart

Zimbabwean journalists arrested and charged since Mugabe’s re-election on March 15
Name Date of arrest Charges Action Article or issue leading to charges
Peta Thornycroft
Mail and Guardian (South Africa); Daily Telegraph (UK)
March 27 Public Order and Security Act (POSA) Released without charge, March 31 Investigating reports that supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party were attacking members of the political opposition
  Dumisani Muleya
Zimbabwe Independent
April 15 Criminal Defamation; charges changed on April 16 to contravening Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) Released. “Proceed by way of summons,” meaning that charges have not been dropped, and the journalist can be summoned and tried at any time April 12 article, “First lady’s brother in bid to take over local firm”
 

Iden Wetherell, Zimbabwe Independent

April 17 Same as above Same as above Same as above
Geoff Nyarota, Daily News April 15 AIPPA Charged and released. “Proceed by way of summons” April 10 Daily News article about alleged vote rigging in March presidential election
Lloyd Mudiwa,
Daily News
April 30 AIPPA Charged. Appeared in court June 20, adjourned until July 22 April 23 story claiming that youth from the ruling ZANU-PF party beheaded an opposition supporter, an article that the paper later retracted
Collin Chiwanza, Daily News April 30 AIPPA Charged. Held in detention until May 2. Charges dropped May 7. State indicated on June 20 that they would reinstate charges Same as above
  Geoff Nyarota, Daily News May 1 AIPPA Questioned and charged. Case to be heard July 22 with Mudiwa’s Same as above
Andrew Meldrum, Guardian (UK) May 20 AIPPA Charged and held in detention until May 2. Case went to court in June 12; postponed until July 12 Writing an article about the April 23 Daily News “beheading story”
  Pius Wakatama, Daily News May 6 AIPPA Charged and released same day May 4 article, on eviction of a white farming family from their property. Also referred to April 23 Daily News ‘beheading story’
Bornwell Chakaodza,
The Standard
May 16 AIPPA Arrested, charged, and held for three days Two stories headlined “Deadly riot gear arrives,” about the purchase of Israeli equipment, and “Police in sex for freedom deals?,” about police extorting sex from prostitutes
Farai Mutsaka,
The Standard
May 16 AIPPA Arrested and charged, and held for three days “Deadly riot gear arrives,” May 12 edition
Fungayi Kanyuchi, The Standard May 16 AIPPA Arrested, charged, and held for three days “Police in sex for freedom deals?” in 12 May edition of The Standard
  Fungayi Kanyuchi, The Standard May 21 Censorship and Entertainment Control Act (CECA) Charged Photographs accompanying “Police in sex for freedom deals?,” May 12 edition of The Standard
  Bornwell Chakaodza,
The Standard
May 21 CECA Charged Same as above
  Bornwell Chakaodza,
The Standard
May 23 AIPPA Charged. Signed “warned and cautioned” statement. Released Article in May 12 issue, “Another shake-up at Zimpapers,” about personnel changes at state-owned media houses
  Farai Mutsaka,
The Standard
May 23 AIPPA Same as above Same as above
  Fungayi Kanyuchi, The Standard May 28 AIPPA Charged “The private media’s burden” May 26th (about jail experiences from May 16)
  Bornwell Chakaodza,
The Standard
May 28 AIPPA Charged Same as above
  Iden Wetherell, Zimbabwe Independent May 30 CECA Charged Wire service picture in the 17 May issue of semi-naked Amazonian men wearing traditional clothes and playing soccer
  Guthrie Munyuki, Daily News June 16 POSA Beaten, arrested, charged, held for 3 days. Charges dismissed June 24 Assaulted while covering opposition Movement for Democratic Change rally
Urginia Mauluka, Daily News June 16 POSA Same as above Same as above

Chris Gande,
Daily News

July 4 AIPPA Arrested and charged. Signed “warned and cautioned” statement June 29 article, “Nkomo’s family not invited to state gala” about commemoration ceremony for nationalist hero