Media violations

High Court judge Justice Makonese on 1 August 2020 ordered the police to investigate the whereabouts of Tawanda Muchehiwa, journalist Mduduzi Mathuthu’s nephew and produce the outcome to the Magistrates Courts in Bulawayo within 72 hours.

Franklin Sibindi, a journalist with the Centre for Innovation and Technology (CITE ZW) was detained by the police in Bulawayo today, July 31, 2020, for allegedly using an expired accreditation card.

Police officers on 30 July 2020 raided and ransacked the home of ZimLive editor Mduduzi Mathuthu in Zimbabwe’s second city of Bulawayo reportedly looking for information on subversive materials linked to the 31 July 2020 protests.

Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna on 24 July 2020 denied bail for journalist Hopewell Chin’ono who is facing charges of incitement to public violence and remanded him in custody to 7 August 2020.

The bail hearing for journalist Hopewell Chin’ono continued in Harare on 23 July 2020 with the State calling its second witness who is one of the arresting police officers before adjourning to tomorrow.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono on 22 July 2020 appeared before Harare Magistrate Ngoni Nduna who remanded him in custody to tomorrow for the continuation of his bail hearing.

A police officer on 21 July 2020 reportedly threatened to shoot TellZim journalist Upenyu Chaota in Zimbabwe’s southern border town of Masvingo.

Police in Harare on 21 July 2020 searched the home of arrested journalist Hopewell Chin’ono for documents and other articles he used in allegedly committing the offence of inciting public violence for which he is being charged with.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was on 20 July 2020 arrested around 11:00hrs at his home in Harare and taken to Harare Central Police Station.

Freelance journalist Tapiwa Zivira was on 16 July 2020 reportedly assaulted by the police and members of the Harare Municipal Police while filming an incident involving a truck driver and municipal police officers along Lytton Road in Harare.