Four Zimbabwean journalists beaten, forced to delete footage by ruling party supporters
Lusaka, August 25, 2022 – Zimbabwean authorities should investigate the brutal assault of four journalists working for private media outlets, bring the perpetrators to justice, and ensure that party supporters do not attack members of the press covering political rallies, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. The reporters assaulted are: Chelsea Mashayaombe, a reporter…
Zimbabwe’s censorship board bans Danish documentary about opposition leader
Lusaka, August 16, 2022–Zimbabwean authorities must lift the ban on the documentary film “President” by Danish journalist Camilla Nielsson and not abuse censorship laws for political ends ahead of next year’s general election, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. The film, which follows opposition leader Nelson Chamisa on the 2018 presidential election campaign trail,…
Zimbabwe police charge 2 journalists with publishing false information
Lusaka, August 5, 2022 — Zimbabwean authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalists Wisdom Mdzungairi and Desmond Chingarande and allow them to work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Tuesday, August 2, police summoned Mdzungairi, editor-in-chief of the privately owned media company Alpha Media Holdings, and Chingarande, a senior reporter with…
Journalists barred from covering Zimbabwean first lady
On July 19, 2022, a spokesperson for Zimbabwean First Lady Auxullia Mnangagwa barred four journalists from covering an event featuring Mnangagwa, according to news reports, a statement by the Zimbabwean chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, and two of the journalists, who spoke with CPJ. The event marked the opening of a health…
Zimbabwean journalist Anyway Yotamu charged after assault by police
Lusaka, July 8, 2022 – Zimbabwean authorities should drop all charges against freelance journalist Anyway Yotamu, investigate his assault by police, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. At about 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 7, police officers assaulted Yotamu while he was filming an altercation between taxi drivers…
Zimbabwean journalist threatened with assault after corruption reporting
Lusaka, June 23, 2022 – Zimbabwean police must immediately and thoroughly investigate threats made to journalist Simbarashe Sithole in retaliation for his corruption reporting and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On June 4, Zimbabwean Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Kazembe Kazembe sent a text message to…
CPJ condemns conviction of New York Times freelance journalist Jeffrey Moyo in Zimbabwe
Durban, June 14, 2022 — In response to news reports that a Zimbabwe court convicted New York Times freelance correspondent Jeffrey Moyo on Tuesday of breaching the country’s immigration laws and issued him a suspended sentence and a fine, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “Today’s conviction of journalist Jeffrey…
Police charge ZimLive editor Mduduzi Mathuthu with insulting the president
Lusaka, June 6, 2022 – On Monday, police in Bulawayo in southwest Zimbabwe detained Mduduzi Mathuthu, editor of privately owned news website ZimLive, and charged him with insulting or undermining the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa over a tweet he wrote about the president’s fiscal policies, according to news reports and a statement from the regional press freedom group, Media Institute…
Zimbabwe police detain and charge 2 journalists covering attempted arrest of opposition politician
Lusaka, May 11, 2022 – Zimbabwean authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalists Blessed Mhlanga and Chengeto Chidi, as well as Moses Hakata, and let them work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Saturday, May 7, police arrested both journalists after they photographed officers attempting to detain an opposition lawmaker in…
Zimbabwean journalist assaulted while covering opposition party election rally
Lusaka, March 25, 2022 – Zimbabwean political parties participating in the March 26 by-election must ensure journalists can cover the events freely and prevent their supporters and officials from harassing or assaulting the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. Around 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 20, in Masvingo, about 182 miles (290 kilometers)…