Zimbabwe: Journalist Released But Charges Still Pending

Journalists in Zimbabwe have continued to face intimidation, harassment and arbitrary arrests for doing their work. On 18 March, investigative journalist Watson Munyaka was killed after reportedly being thrown out of a moving car in Marondera, Mashonaland East. Watson Munyaka, who was a researcher and journalist at Dug Up, a publication known for its political reporting on corruption, was allegedly abducted, driven to Marondera where his body was found with all his belongings.

Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution guarantees the right to freedom of expression and media freedom. Zimbabwe also has international human rights obligations to uphold human rights and press freedom and to create an enabling environment for free and independent journalism including by respecting, protecting, promoting and fulfilling the rights to freedom of opinion and expression as guaranteed under article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights to which Zimbabwe is a state party.

This is not the first time that Blessed Mhlanga has been targeted by the authorities in connection to his journalist work. In May 2022, he was arrested and charged with ‘disorderly conduct’ after he recorded the arrest of former opposition MP, Job Sikhala. The police allegedly punched him, smashed his phone and arrested him despite him notifying them that he is a journalist. He was later acquitted.