Business News

Spate of Journalist Arrests in Zimbabwe Raises Concerns

Wednesday 24. November 2010 - The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum have protested against the latest series of journalist arrests in Zimbabwe and have condemned the increasing climate of intimidation for the country's critical media.

In the latest incident, reporter Nqobani Ndlovu from The Standard newspaper was arrested on 17 November, held overnight, and later charged for an article that allegedly made defamatory statements. His colleague Dumisani Sibanda was questioned in the same case but later released.
The article appeared in the 14 November edition of The Standard, published by the independent media group Alpha Media Holdings, and alleged that the police were recruiting war veterans loyal to the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe to take over senior posts ahead of next year’s elections.
“The arrest of Nqobani Ndloun is a big blow against the return of confidence in Zimbabwe as far as press freedom and freedom of expression is concerned,” said Trevor Ncube, Chairman of the Alpha Media Holdings Group, in a statement to WAN-IFRA.
“Keeping Nqobani in public detention overnight without charges is a form of punishment that sends a chilling message to other Zimbabwean journalists. However, we are not intimidated but emboldened to continue informing the public in a professional and ethical manner.”
This latest case follows the 30 October arrests of freelance journalists Andrison Manyere and Nkosana Dlamini who were charged and fined for “criminal nuisance”. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Wilf Mbanga, who edits The Zimbabwean Independent from exile in the UK, for a story that allegedly “undermined President Robert Mugabe”. Mr Mbanga claims his paper did not even publish the article.
In a letter sent to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe condemning the recent pattern of intimidation, WAN-IFRA called on him “to provide constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press.” The organisation called on the President “to take all necessary steps to halt the campaign of intimidation of critical media so that the press is able to report free from government pressure.”
The full letter read:
“According to reports, reporter Nqobani Ndlovu was taken into police custody on 17 November, held overnight and charged for allegedly publishing defamatory statements in a 14 November story that appeared in The Standard newspaper. His colleague Dumisani Sibanda was taken for questioning by police on 16 November but later released. The story in The Standard, which is published by the independent media group Alpha Media Holdings, alleged that the police were recruiting war veterans loyal to your ZANU-PF party to take over senior posts ahead of next year’s elections.
“We are seriously concerned that this may be an intensification of intimidation of critical media by the authorities. The taking into custody of Mr Ndlovu and Mr Sibanda follows the 30 October arrests of freelance journalists Andrison Manyere and Nkosana Dlamini, who had been covering a meeting to discuss the creation of a new constitution. They were released after being charged and fined for “criminal nuisance”.
“It also follows the issuing of an arrest warrant for Wilf Mbanga, who edits The Zimbabwean Independent from exile in the UK, over a report allegedly published two years ago on the apparent murder of the director of Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. The story, which Mr Mbanga claims his paper did not even publish, allegedly “undermined President Robert Mugabe”.
“We respectfully bring to your attention the Declaration of Table Mountain, endorsed at the 60th World Newspaper Congress and 14th Editors Forum in Cape Town in June 2007. The Declaration calls on African states to promote the highest standards of press freedom, uphold the principles proclaimed in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other protocols, and provide constitutional guarantees of freedom of the press.
We respectfully remind you that the intimidation of critical media by the authorities violates numerous international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers.’
“We call on you to take all necessary steps to halt the campaign of intimidation of critical media so that the press is able to report free from government pressure. We ask you to ensure that in future your country fully respects the Declaration of Table Mountain and other international standards of press freedom.”
For more information on the Declaration of Table Mountain, WAN-IFRA’s campaign to abolish insult and criminal defamation laws throughout Africa, visit
http://www.declarationoftablemountain.org