The following is a brief account of the journalists who have been harassed in some way in 2002. More detailed case information may be accessed in the Writers in Prison Committee Case List.

Sentenced

Tawanda Majoni, a reporter with the Daily Mirror and former policeman, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and a fine of Z$500 (US$9) on September 18, 2002. He had been arrested six days prior as a result of an article he had written in which he claimed that the Police Commissioner suffered health problems and was unfit for duty. The authorities eventually charged him with having gathered information for the article before he had officially left the police force, thus contravening the Police Act. Majoni has appealed against the sentence and is free while the appeal process takes place.

Facing charges

Geoffrey Nyarota, editor-in-chief of the Daily News, is the target of constant harassment by the authorities. He faces six counts of criminal defamation and three counts of "publishing falsehoods" under the Law and Order Maintenance Act, mostly brought by President Robert Mugabe and Minister of State for Information and Publicity Jonathan Moyo. Nyarota has also appeared on a hit list allegedly compiled by the Central Intelligence Organization. In January 2001, his newspaper's printing presses were blown up by explosives only available to the army. The Daily News' offices in Bulawayo were petrol-bombed in February this year.

Bornwell Chakaodza, Farai Mutsaka, and Fungai Kanyuchi--editor, senior reporter and journalist respectively for The Standard weekly newspaper--were charged with "abusing journalistic privileges by publishing falsehoods" on May 16, 2002. The charge relates to two articles concerning alleged police corruption and the importation by police of sophisticated Israeli-built riot control vehicles in anticipation of anti-government demonstrations. The three men were detained for one night and released on bail of Z$10,000 (approx. US$183) each. Chakaodza and Kanyuchi also face other charges relating to Standard articles.

Daily News columnist Pius Wakatama was briefly detained on May 6, 2002. He was charged with two counts of "publishing false information" and "abusing journalistic privilege." The charges stem from a May 4 Daily News article in which Wakatama made critical comments about the eviction of a white farmer. The journalist also mentioned a beheading story for which two of his colleagues, Lloyd Mudiwa and Collin Chiwanza, were arrested.

Iden Wetherell, editor of the weekly Zimbabwe Independent, was charged on May 30, 2002 under the "censorship act" of publishing an "obscene" photograph. The charge was based on a picture, published in the newspaper's May 17 edition, showing partially clad men from the Amazonian jungle playing football. Wetherell was briefly detained on April 17 in connection with the photograph. Although he signed a "warned and cautioned" statement, the charges have not of yet been dropped against him and he could be summoned and tried at any time.

Chris Gande, a reporter with the Daily News, was charged in Bulawayo on July 4, 2002 under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, for allegedly "writing falsehoods." The charge stems from a June 29 article that he wrote in which he claimed that the daughter of former Zimbabwean Vice-President Joshua Nkomo had stated that the family had not been invited to a state gala held in her late father's honor and that her mother had flown there in a military plane at the last minute. The Department of Information and Publicity denies the story. Gande was obliged to sign a "warned and cautioned" statement and awaits a summons to court from the police.

Facing deportation

U.S. citizen and journalist with the U.K.-based newspaper The Guardian Andrew Meldrum was served with two deportation orders on July 15, 2002, minutes after being acquitted of "publishing false information" and "abusing journalistic privileges." Two days later, the High Court suspended the orders and referred his case to the Supreme Court. No date has been set for the first hearing. He is accused of publishing a false story in The Guardian web site alleging that ZANU-PF supporters decapitated a woman in a rural district of Zimbabwe. Meldrum pleaded 'not guilty' to knowingly publishing false information without verifying the facts, and could face up to two years in prison or a fine of Z$100,000 (approx. US$1,800) if convicted.

Briefly detained

Journalists Foster Dongozi, Rhoda Mashavane (f), Cornelius Nduna, Basildon Peta, Peta Thornycroft (f), Dumisani Muleya, Assal Gwekerere, Brian Mangwende, Urginia Mauluka (f), and Chris Gande have all been detained briefly by police at some point this year without being charged or with charges against them later dropped.

Dongozi and Mashavane, journalists with the Daily News and Nduna, editor of The Standard, were arrested in Harare by armed police on January 30, 2002. The detentions occurred during a demonstration outside Parliament, where the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Bill was being discussed. The journalists were accused of staging an illegal gathering; however, it is not known whether the charges were ever pressed.

Peta is Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, special projects editor of the Financial Gazette, as well as a correspondent for the UK-based The Independent. He was detained for five hours on February 4, 2002 over allegations that he organized an illegal journalists' demonstration. A police raid had been conducted on his home four days prior in an attempt to find evidence linking him to the organization of a January 24 anti-government journalists' demonstration. Peta himself had gone into hiding, after which he flew to South Africa. On his return, he reported to the police station and was released, uncharged, the same day.

Thornycroft is a journalist with the UK-based Daily Telegraph, and the Johannesburg-based Mail and Guardian and Business Day. She was arrested on March 27, 2002 in Chimanimani for allegedly writing false information about President Mugabe. She was there to interview victims of political violence and was charged with "publishing false statements likely to be prejudicial to state security" and "incitement to public violence," but four days later a high court order granted her release on the grounds that the police had failed to charge her formally.

Muleya is a chief reporter for the independent business weekly Zimbabwe Independent. He was arrested on April 15, 2002 and charged with "defamation" and "publishing falsehoods" in relation to an article he had written regarding Grace Mugabe, the president's wife. He had written three days prior that Mrs. Mugabe's brother was involved in a labor dispute, and that he had solicited her help after having failed to get his way. Muleya was released after the police had recorded a "warned and cautioned" statement.

Gwekerere, journalist for The Daily News, was arrested and briefly detained with his photographer on May 7, 2002 while photographing a man suspected of being involved in a multi-million dollar crime. The police had apparently set a trap to apprehend the man and believed that the two journalists were collaborating with him. They were handcuffed and taken to Highlands Police Station where they were questioned separately and, on condition of destroying the photographs of the incident, released later that day without being charged.

Mauluka, also with The Daily News, was arrested on June 16, 2002, while covering an anti-government opposition gathering. Armed riot police reportedly arrived at the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) offices 20 minutes after the rally started and resorted to violence to break it up. Mauluka sustained serious injuries after having been assaulted by the police but was denied medical attention. She was released on bail of Z$3,000 (approx. US$55) two days later, and charges against her have since been dropped.

Mangwende, reporter with The Daily News and chairman of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists in Manicaland Province, was arrested in Mutare on May 10, 2002 on allegations of having written a false story about the victimization of schoolteachers working in Zimbabwe's rural areas. The article quoted the president of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe as stating that thousands of teachers have been paying "protection" fees to war veterans while many have had their properties burned down or looted. Mangwende was detained for two hours before being released uncharged.

Death threats

Journalists Robson Sharuko, Petros Kausiyo, Simba Rushwaya and Basildon Peta have all received death threats this year. Sharuko, Kausiyo, and Rushwaya, respectively sports editor, senior reporter, and sports reporter with The Herald, were threatened on May 2, 2002 by Ignatius Pamire, the interim secretary of Zimbabwe's leading football team, Dynamos, for allegedly writing negatively about his administration. Pamire warned sports writers who were attending a sports function in the capital, Harare, that they must report positively about him and his team or risk being killed. Phillip Mugadza, the club's chair, later apologized to the reporters. Peta, Secretary-General of the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists, special projects editor of the Financial Gazette, and a correspondent for the UK-based The Independent, left Zimbabwe for good with his family on February 14, 2002, stating that the threats that they had received from the Zimbabwean authorities and state-run media had become unacceptable and that their lives were at risk in Zimbabwe. He allegedly appeared at the top of a death list compiled by the Central Intelligence Organization in 2001.