ALERT Date: December 15, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Nyasha Bosha, Maria Nyanyiwa and Kundai Mugwanda. Violation: Detained, censored On December 15 2005, three Voice of the People Workers, Nyasha Bosha, Maria Nyanyiwa and Kundai Mugwanda, were arrested and detained at Harare Central Police Station after police raided their offices in Harare. The police confiscated equipment, computers and administration files. ALERT (including update) Date: December 08, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Trevor Ncube Violation: Expelled Zimbabwean immigration officials seized Zimbabwe Independent and Standard newspapers chairman Trevor Ncube’s passport upon his arrival in the country from South Africa where he is also the publisher of the Mail and Guardian newspaper. Ncube said he had been approached by a person who identified himself as being from the President’s Office. The man escorted Ncube to the immigration department at Harare International Airport. The publisher’s passport was confiscated on 8 December 2005. Ncube is said to be one of the people on a list of 64 persons whose passports must be impounded. The controversial Constitutional Amendment (No 17) Amendment Act empowers the government to seize the passports of citizens suspected of “national interests” during their travels abroad. December 12, 2005: Ncube filed an urgent application for a High Court order compelling the government to return his seized passport arguing that the decision infringes on his basic freedoms and rights. December 14, 2005: The government released Ncube’s seized passport after the AttorneyGeneral’s Office indicated that it would not be filing an opposing affidavit against his urgent application for its immediate release. ALERT (including updates) Date: December 01, 2005 Persons/Institutions: Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ), publishers of The Daily News and Daily News on Sunday Violation: Censored On December 1 2005, the Central Intelligence Organisation had allegedly reversed a decision by the government-controlled Media and Information Commission (MIC) to register Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe (ANZ). According to papers filed with the High Court, Jonathan Maphenduka, a former MIC board member, the regulatory body had on June 16, 2005, agreed to register ANZ. ANZ is challenging the MIC’s decision to deny it an operating licence to publish its titles. July 18, 2005: The MIC refused to register ANZ because it had contravened Sections 66, 72,76, and 79 of AIPPA. The sections in question deal with the registration of a mass media service provider, operating without a licence and accreditation of journalists. ALERT (including updates) Date: November 29 2005 Persons/Institutions: TeleAccess Violation: Censored On November 29 2005, the Postal and Telecommunications Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), So This Is Democracy? 2005 -161- Media Institute of Southern Africa