Media violations

High Court judge Justice Mushore granted an application by journalist Hopewell Chin’ono for the alteration of his bail conditions.

High Court judge Justice Happious Zhou set aside Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna’s ruling disqualifying Beatrice Mtetwa from representing journalist Hopewell Chin’ono as his lead lawyer.

NewsDay correspondent Kenneth Nyangani was reportedly manhandled at the Zanu PF provincial headquarters in the eastern border town of Mutare while covering demonstrations by some disgruntled party supporters.

High Court judge Justice Happious Zhou stayed proceedings of the trial of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono which was set to commence on 7 December 2020 on charges of inciting violence pending the determination of his review application.

Three journalists and three journalism students were on 3 December 2020 arrested in Harare’s dormitory town of Chitungwiza following a dragnet swoop by the police on a full council meeting of Chitungwiza Municipality.

Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on 27 November 2020 dismissed journalist Hopewell Chin’ono’s application for temporal variation of his bail conditions.

Freelance journalist Dumisani Zvandasara was on 26 November 2020 arrested in Kwekwe for using a 2019 Zimbabwe Media Commission-issued press card.

Freelance journalist Panashe Makufa was on 26 November 2020 arrested in Harare’s central business district while taking pictures of commuter transport problems.

Two journalists were on 24 November 2020 detained by soldiers from the Airforce of Zimbabwe in Gweru for about four hours.

Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was on 20 November 2020 granted bail by High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi following his appeal for bail on charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.