The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has today condemned the attacks meted by police officers on patrol to journalists Leopold Munhende and Munashe Chokodza while they were coming from work on last Wednesday evening in Harare the capital city.
The two journalists were tortured, wounded and admitted.
“We sympathise with and send our solidarity message to the two colleagues and to all journalists working hard day and night in the frontline to report Covid19 and its impacts on the populations” said
Alexandre Niyungeko, President of the Interim Governing Council of CAJ.
“We wish them swift recovery”, he added.
According to reports by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), “the
two journalists, Leopold Munhende and Munashe Chokodza were accosted by
the security forces while coming from work.
” They informed the ZUJ office
that when asked why they were out and about, they explained that they
were journalists coming from work and proceeded to produce their
accreditation cards. One of the soldiers then called out loudly that
they were actually on the hunt for journalists during their operations
under the current COVID19 lockdown.
“The security forces then went on to
torture and humiliate the journalists for their own amusement.The
journalists sustained injuries as they were tackled to the ground and
beaten with truncheons and whips. They have received medical attention
while efforts to make a police report were initially being resisted.”
“The abuse and harassment of Zimbabwean journalists by Zimbabwean
security forces has reached epidemic levels and we appeal to the
government to ensure that journalists are safe and protected” said ZUJ
Secretary General, Foster Dongozi “These unwarranted acts of brutality,
aggression and destabilisation of journalists doing their work must stop
immediately,” Dongozi added.
The CAJ, therefore called on Zimbabwean Government to protect the safety of journalists and end impunity by punishing police officers involved in wanton violence on journalists on duty.
