Media violations

Two Masvingo journalists have petitioned Zimbabwe Police Commissioner-General, Godwin Matanga to intervene over the threats by Assistant Commissioner Taoneyi Nyazema.

Freelance journalist Terence Sipuma was reportedly assaulted by members of the police and the army at the Kuwadzana roundabout in Harare while on his way to Chegutu to report on Zimbabwe’s 21-day COVID-19 lockdown.

The officer Commanding Masvingo Province, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Tawoneyi Nyazema threatened two senior journalists in Masvingo over a news column in TellZim News, a provincial publication.

Mary Taruvinga, a journalist with NewZimbabwe.com was this morning reportedly harassed by members of the army and police officers while on her way to work in Harare’s central business district.

Beatific Ngumbwanda a journalist with TellZim weekly newspaper was on 8 April 2020 arrested by the police in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe who accused him of violating the lockdown regulations as stipulated in terms of Statutory Instrument (SI) 82 of 2020.

Freelance journalist Panashe Makufa was beaten up by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), today around 1700hrs in the Harare suburb of Kuwadzana while undertaking his professional duties.

Zimbabwean journalist Nunurai Jena was on 3 April 2020 remanded out of custody on free bail to 7 May 2020 when he appeared in court in Chinhoyi charged with disorderly conduct in a public place.

NewsDay journalist Nunurai Jena who was on 2 April 2020 arrested around 10:30 am by the police in Chinhoyi as he was taking pictures of police operations at a checkpoint is now being charged with disorderly conduct in a public place.

Police in Masvingo today dispersed several newspaper vendors and also arrested four, being 3 females and 1 male this afternoon for violating SI 83 of 2020 which seeks to enforce the Presidential directive for a national lockdown.

Police this afternoon, 30 March arrested student journalist, Tatenda Julias who is attached at Pungwe News (New Ziana). Tatenda was arrested in the city’s residential suburb of Dangamvura while taking pictures related to the Coronavirus lockdown. Police have accused him of practising journalism without a press card.