A
wave
of
legal
threats,
arrests,
and
physical
attacks
against
journalists
in
recent
weeks
signals
a
deepening
crackdown
on
press
freedom
in
Zimbabwe.
This
statement
was
originally
published
on ipi.media on
13
March
2026.
IPI
calls
on
authorities
to
safeguard
media
freedom
after
series
of
recent
arrests
and
attacks
on
journalists
The
IPI
global
network
expresses
deep
concern
over
a
series
of
recent
incidents
in
Zimbabwe
that
signal
an
alarming
escalation
of
pressure,
intimidation,
and
violence
targeting
journalists.
In
recent
weeks,
individual
journalists
in
Zimbabwe
have
faced
threats
from
senior
government
officials,
criminal
prosecution
linked
to
their
reporting,
and
physical
attacks
while
carrying
out
their
work.
IPI
urges
the
Zimbabwe
authorities
to
reaffirm
their
commitment
to
media
freedom
and
ensure
that
journalists
can
report
freely
on
matters
of
public
interest
without
intimidation
or
harassment.
In
February
2026,
following
a
speech
by
journalist
Blessed
Mhlanga
at
the
Geneva
Summit
for
Human
Rights
and
Democracy,
Zimbabwe’s
information
minister threatened Mhlanga
with
criminal
prosecution
and
described
his
speech
as
“an
act
of
hostility
against
his
homeland”.
At
the
summit,
Mhlanga
spoke
about
his
73-day
pre-trial
detention
in
2025
over
his
reporting
and
the
deteriorating
press
freedom
situation
in
Zimbabwe.
Following
the
minister’s
remarks, media
reports indicated
that
authorities
had
issued
an
arrest
warrant
against
Mhlanga,
accusing
him
of
violating
Section
22A
of
the
Criminal
Law
Codification
and
Reform
Act
for
“wilfully
injuring
the
sovereignty
and
national
interest
of
Zimbabwe
by
actively
participating
in
meetings,
communication
or
cooperation
with
foreign
governments
or
their
agents”.
Media
have
also reported that
authorities
deployed
a
counterintelligence
team
at
the
airport
in
Harare
to
arrest
Mhlanga
upon
his
return
to
Zimbabwe.
Mhlanga
is
also on
trial on
charges
of
“transmitting
data
messages
that
incite
violence
or
damage
to
property”.
This
followed
his
arrest
in
February
2025
after
Mhlanga
broadcast
an
interview
with
now-late
Blessed
Geza,
a
war
veteran
and
member
of
the
ruling
party
Zanu
PF,
who
criticized
the
government’s
plans
to
amend
the
Constitution
and
extend
the
presidential
term
limit.
Mhlanga’s
arrest
and
detention
in
this
case
was
also
the
subject
of
his
speech
in
Geneva.
Mhlanga
was
due
to
appear
in
court
on
March
9
for
continuation
of
this
trial.
His
defence
lawyers
have
told
the
court
that
Mhlanga
is
currently
in
South
Africa
seeking
medical
treatment.
In
a
separate
case,
journalist
Golden
Madzikatidze
from
online
media
outlet Bulawayo24 has
been detained since
February
18
on
allegations
of
cyberbullying
and
broadcasting
without
a
license.
Madzikatidze’s
arrest
followed Bulawayo24’s publication
of
a
story
on
alleged
corruption
involving
a
local
waste
management
company.
Madzikatidze
was denied
bail on
March
2
and
is
due
to
reappear
in
court
on
March
17.
In
yet
another
incident,
journalist
Effort
Manono
was assaulted on
March
1
while
covering
a
meeting
of
the
National
Constitutional
Assembly
in
Harare.
The
meeting
was
violently
disrupted
by
unidentified
assailants,
who
also
attacked
Manono
as
well
as
other
participants.
Manono
told
IPI
that
he
sustained
several
injuries
and
had
to
seek
medical
attention.
It
is
unclear
who
was
responsible
for
the
attack,
which
occurred
despite
the
presence
of
police.
These
recent
incidents
point
to
a
troubling
pattern
of
journalists
in
Zimbabwe
facing
intimidation,
criminal
prosecution,
and
violence
while
performing
their
professional
duties.
IPI
calls
on
the
Zimbabwean
authorities
to
take
urgent
steps
to
reverse
the
current
climate
of
intimidation
and
harassment
and
uphold
the
country’s
constitutional
guarantees
of
freedom
of
expression
and
media
freedom,
as
well
as
international
human
rights
commitments.
Authorities
should
immediately
drop
charges
against
journalist
Blessed
Mhlanga
and
ensure
that
laws
on
national
security
and
national
sovereignty
are
not
used
to
retaliate
against
journalism
and
free
expression.
Authorities
should
also
release
journalist
Golden
Madzikatidze
and
take
steps
to
prevent
the
abuse
of
cybercrime
laws
and
other
legal
provisions
in
response
to
media
reporting
in
Zimbabwe.
We
also
call
on
officials
to
ensure
a
prompt,
independent,
and
thorough
investigation
into
the
attack
against
Effort
Manono.