THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT |ZIMBABWE I 2017 Specific Cases On 20 February 2017, the Newsday editor Wisdom Mdzungairi and reporter Everson Mushava were questioned by the police in Harare following publication of a story arising from a press conference held by former ZANU-PF Mashonaland Central youth leader Godfrey Tsenengamu, who was alleged to have encouraged war veterans to push for President Mugabe’s ouster. 23 On 22 June 2017, journalists Garikai Chaunza and Frank Chikowore were arrested by police while covering the invasion of Lesbury Farm in Manicaland Province. On 27 July 2017, three (3) Newsday journalists: Obey Manayiti, Shepherd Tozvireva, Abigail Mutsikidze, and their driver, Raphael Phiri were assaulted by plain clothes police in Harare.The assault left Manayiti with a swollen eye and bruised lip. On 24 September 2017, pastor Evan Mawarire was arrested over allegations of attempting to overthrow a constitutionally elected government following a video he circulated on social media on 23 September 2017 on the country’s worsening economic crisis. He however, was set free on 26 September after Magistrate Singano court ruled that the State had violated his rights by failing to bring him to appear before the court within 48 hours as enshrined in Section 50 (2) (b) of the Constitution. 24 23 24 25 26 On 29 September 2017, Daily News journalists, Mugove Tafirenyika and Brighton Goko suffered serious injuries after being assaulted by the police while covering demonstrations in Harare’s central business district. On 12 October 2017, Sten Zvorwadza, the chairperson of the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe was arrested for allegedly undermining and insulting the President under Section 33 (2) (a) (ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act) Chapter 9:23. He was arrested for allegedly calling the President a day dreaming, old and dead -walking man in an interview he had with the Daily News. Sten was detained for 48 hours before being released on $200 bail. 25 On 19 October 2017, Newsday senior reporter Richard Chidza was roughed up and slapped by ruling ZANU-PF party youths at the end of a press conference in Harare, as they demanded to know his source for a story on the rift in the youth league’s leadership. On 3 November 2017, Martha O’Donovan, an American citizen working with social media network Magamba Cultural Activist Network Trust, was arrested and charged with subversion and insulting the person and office of the president through retweeting a tweet insulting former President Mugabe. Martha was charged under Section 33 (2) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] Donovan was released on 04 January 2018. The State was ordered to proceed by way of summons if it intends to pursue with prosecuting. 26 MISA Zimbabwe http://zimbabwe.misa.org/2017/06/23/journalists-arrested-detained-rusape/ The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Monthly Political and Human Rights Violations Report, September 2017, available on http://www.hrforumzim.org/publications/ The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Monthly Political and Human Rights Violations Report, October 2017, available on http://www.hrforumzim.org/publications/available on http://www.hrforumzim.org/publications/ The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Monthly Political and Human Rights Violations Report, November 2017, available on http://www.hrforumzim.org/publications/ 26