Zimbabwean journalists harassed at hearings to extend president’s term

Chaos
has
marred
four
days
of hearings,
hosted
by
Parliament
and
ending
on
April
2,
to debate
the
Constitutional
Amendment
(No.3)
Bill,
which
would
increase
the
president’s
term
from
five
to
seven
years.
The
president
would
also
be elected by
lawmakers,
not
the
public.

On
March
31,
numerous
journalists
were
trapped
inside
the
City
Sports
Center
when
alleged
supporters
of
the
ruling
ZANU-PF stormed the
venue
to
prevent
opposition
figures
from
speaking
and
refused
to
allow
journalists
to
leave
unless
they deleted
their
footage.

“Blocking
journalists,
harassing
them,
and
forcing
them
to
delete
their
footage
is
a
blatant
attempt
to
censor
their
news
coverage
and
control
what
the
public
can
hear,
read
and
see,”
said
CPJ
Africa
Director
Angela
Quintal.
“Zimbabwean
authorities
must
ensure
those
responsible
are
held
accountable
and
that
journalists
are
free
to
report
on
matters
of
public
interest,
including
this
bill,
which,
if
it
becomes
law,
could
keep
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
in
power
until
2030.”

The
Media
Institute
for
Southern
Africa-Zimbabwe called for
journalists
to
be
permitted
to
carry
out
their
work
without
obstruction.

Two
journalists
who
were
at
the
venue
told
CPJ
that
reporters
were
forced
to
delete
footage
of
attacks
on
members
of
the
opposition
and
civil
society.

The
YouTube-based
investigative
channel
Dug
Up
posted
a video of
several
people
stopping
journalists
from
reporting.
Its
journalist Ruvimbo
Muchenje
told
CPJ
that
a
man
forced
her
to
switch
off
her
phone
as
she
was
filming.

Another
journalist
told
CPJ,
on
condition
of
anonymity,
citing
fear
of
reprisals,
that
they
saw
journalists
being
harassed
inside
the
sports
center.

“In
the
hall,
from
time
to
time,
some
rowdy
youth
were
approaching
journalists,
intimidating
them,
blocking
cameras,
and
threatening
to
take
away
phones,”
said
the
reporter,
who
then
went
outside
with
three
other
journalists.

“Two
men,
[who]
identified
[themselves]
as
state
security
agents,
came
and
asked
which
media
organizations
we
work
for,”
the
journalist
said,
adding
that
ruling
party
supporters
also
repeatedly
threatened
to
confiscate
their
equipment.
“They
demanded
we
delete
the
footage,
which
they
alleged
was
meant
to
tarnish
the
sovereignty
of
the
country.”

The
independent
news
site
Zim
Live posted
a
photo of
an
anonymous
female
journalist
who
said
her
hand
was
injured
and
her
glasses
were
broken
after
“someone
poured
alcohol
on
my
face
and
before
I
knew
it,
I
was
on
the
floor
and
had
people
stepping
on
me
in
the
stampede.”

ZANU-PF’s
information
director,
Farai
Muroiwa
Marapira,
told
CPJ
via
phone
that
the
party
condemns
any
form
of
violence,
and
“will
institute
internal
investigations”
while
police
work
to
ensure
those
at
fault
face
the
law.

Information
permanent
secretary
Nick
Mangwana
did
not
respond
to
CPJ’s
requests
for
comment
via
phone
and
messaging
app.

Post
published
in:

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