Freelance journalist Mary Mundeya was on 12 January 2022 arrested while covering a demonstration by teachers at the National Social Security Authority offices in Harare.
Mundeya was detained at Harare Central Police Station for about two hours before she was released without charges.
She said police officers at Harare Central Police Station had initially said they could not release her because her press card had expired.
MISA Zimbabwe position
MISA Zimbabwe calls on the Zimbabwe Republic Police to desist from unjustifiably interfering with the work of media practitioners. Journalists should be allowed to undertake their professional duties without fear.
The Zimbabwe Media Commission, in a recent statement, advised stakeholders to accept the 2021 accreditation cards as it was still to issue the ones for 2022. The Commission said it was still awaiting the gazetting of the 2022 accreditation fees which it had since submitted to the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services.
“The Commission calls upon all stakeholders and security agents manning checkpoints to assist journalists and other media practitioners to carry out their duties without harm or harassment,” reads the statement.
MISA Zimbabwe urges the government to speedily gazette the fees to allow for the issuance of new accreditation cards to ensure that journalists on duty are not inconvenienced or harassed on the basis of the 2021 accreditation cards.
The Commission should also seriously consider the issuance of two to three-year valid accreditation cards to avert inconveniencing journalists prior to the issuance of new cards.
