Specific violations On 13 December 2012, The Zimbabwean reports that Community news activist Kudakwashe Matura is acquitted of charges of criminal defamation brought by Sam Mawuwa over a story carried by the Kariba News newsletter. 18 January 2013, SW Radio Africa reports that Freelance journalist Bernard Chikoto was summoned by the police for questioning allegedly with the intention of charging him with criminal nuisance following a complaint filed by one “Mrs Mukodza” regarding photographs that Chikoto allegedly took of a house in Hob-House suburb of Mutare. Charges were not preferred / pressed. 21 January 2013 Media Alliance of Zimbabwe ( MISA)- Zimbabwe Alert follow-up to summoning of Chikoto for questioning after he took photographs of a house mistakenly thought to belong to Tawanda Mukodza, a former Zanu PF Youth League provincial chairman for Manicaland. The complainants, who are the owners of the house in question, are distant relatives of the former Zanu PF Youth chairman. The criminal nuisance charges are withdrawn following an out of court agreement between Chikoto’s lawyer, Passmore Nyakureba of the Media Lawyers Network and the complainants, Mr and Mrs Mukodza. On 23 January 2013 MISA- Zimbabwe Alert reports the story of Newsday Features and Supplements editor Ropafadzo Mapimhidze who is summoned to appear at Masvingo magistrates’ court on charges of contravening Section 88 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act (year). She is accused of telephonically abusing Chief Nhema by repeatedly calling him while following up on leads to reports that the chief allegedly orchestrated political violence in his area. Section 88 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act [ Chapter 12:02] criminalises offensive or false telephone messages and “any telephone call or series or combination of telephone calls without reasonable cause for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety”. On 30 January 2013 NewsDay reports on the acquittal of Mapimhidze as the magistrate said the State failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. On 19 February 2013 SW Radio Africa reports that suspended Zanu PF Manicaland provincial youth chairman Tawanda Mukodza reportedly threatened NewsDay’s Obey Manayiti with death in Mutare for reasons that could not be immediately established. Manayiti was arrested and detained on charges of criminal insult at Mutare Central Police station where he had gone to report the death threat. This followed an earlier report by Mukodza, claiming the reporter had insulted him. Manayiti was expected to appear in court on 19 February 2013. Obey Manayiti was taken back into police custody at Mutare police station on 19 February and according to NewsDay he was set free on 21 February after the State decided not to proceed with the matter to court. The police would proceed by way of summons. On 20 February 2013 the Herald reports that Police on 19 February 2013 banned possession of “specially designed radios” and other communication devices on suspicion they are being used to communicate hate speech ahead of Zimbabwe’s referendum and general elections. The specific nature of the illegal devices and the relevant laws that criminalise their possession not specified. On 1 March 2013 the Zimbabwean reports that on 1 March 2013 the police raided and confiscated 180 radio sets from the civil rights NGO, Radio Dialogue, and detained and questioned the production manager Zenzele Ndebele before releasing him. Ndebele was expected to appear in court on 4 March 2013 charged with possession of smuggled goods in contravention of Section 182 of the Customs and Excise Act Section 38B of the Broadcasting Services Act [Chapter 12:06] does not make it illegal to possess shortwave radio receivers. The police ban therefore appears aimed at unjustifiably curtailing citizens’ rights to access alternative information On 4 March 2013, soldiers allegedly denied Daily News sports reporter Blessings Mashaya entrance into Rufaro Stadium to cover a charity soccer match between army side Black Rhinos and CAPS United saying that since it was only a charity match, they did not require media coverage especially 32