Media violations

Journalists Frank Chikowore and Samuel Takawira were on 23 May 2020 denied bail and remanded in custody to 26 May 2020 on charges of breaching Section 11 (b) of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 in terms of the COVID-19 regulations when they appeared before the court in Harare’s suburb of Mbare.

NewsDay journalist Rex Mphisa and Zimpapers sales representative Charles Marerwa were arrested in Dulivhadzimu, in Zimbabwe’s southern border town of Beitbridge on 15 May 2020 and charged with contravening Coronavirus regulations.

Freelance journalist James Jemwa was forced by two soldiers to delete his footage today in Harare’s suburb of Mufakose.

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.