Journalists' arrest 'pure harassment' - MISA

The arrests of Geoff Nyarota, editor of Zimbabwe's Daily News, and Dumisani Muleya of the Zimbabwe Independent were "pure harassment of the media", Zoe Titus of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) told IRIN.

Nyarota was arrested on Monday over an article questioning the difference between the final election results given on national television and subsequent published figures which allegedly contained 700,000 more voters.

He was charged with abuse of journalistic privilege and falsifying information in terms of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act passed in March.

Muleya was arrested over a story relating to a labour dispute in which the brother of the first lady, Grace Mugabe, was reportedly asked to intervene. He was charged with criminal defamation after his arrest on Monday.

Both men have been released.

Titus said: "It is pure and simple harassment. Unfortunately the laws have been put in place to allow for this to take place."

MISA Regional Information Co-ordinator Kaitira Kandjii said the organisation planned to write a protest letter around Muleya's case as it fitted into their campaign to target laws criminalising defamation.

"We find it uncalled for that journalists will be criminalised by writing about Grace Mugabe. She is just the first lady and can't have the same status as a head of state. We condemn it," Kandjii said.

LAst month Daily Telegraph reporter Peta Thornycroft was arrested for allegely publishing false statements prejudicial to the state. She was on her way to investigate claims of torture against opposition supporters when she was arrested.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act was enacted on 15 March and says that newspapers deemed to have abused journalistic privilege by falsifying or fabricating stories are liable to two years in jail.

Nyarota, who has been arrested several times, was awarded the World Association of Newspapers' Golden Pen of Freedom award this year in recognition of his fight for press freedom. The Daily News offices and printing works have been bombed in the past.

Meanwhile, New Zealand has joined the European Union, Canada and the United States by imposing travel bans on senior Zimbabwean officials.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff said that his government had also banned sales of arms or other "instruments of oppression" to Zimbabwe and would consider freezing the assets of Mugabe and his associates if evidence emerged that they had investments in New Zealand.