tenth journalist arrested

from all africa: Press release


Reporters sans Frontières (Paris)

On 1 May 2008, Reporters Without Borders condemned the arrest of freelance journalist Precious Shumba in a police raid on the Harare office of the international aid NGO ActionAid, where he works as a programmes officer. A reporter for "The Daily News" until it was forced to close, Shumba is the 10th journalist to be arrested since the general elections.

"The police are still operating as the armed wing of a beleaguered government, instead of keeping order and protecting citizens," the press freedom organisation said.

"Zimbabwe's police force was gradually turned into a militia that looks after the interests of Robert Mugabe and his cronies and cracks down on those who get in their way. Any peaceful solution to Zimbabwe's crisis must include the release of all the victims of this unjust situation, in which journalists have been favourite targets."/////