State of the media in Southern Africa - 2004 Democratic Change (MDC). The three who were detained at Harare Central Police Station were picked up from their work place in Harare at approximately 10h00 on September 23, 2004. Confirming the arrests, Iden Wetherell, the publishing company’s group projects editor, said the police had recorded warned and cautioned statements from the three before releasing them at around 16h00 the same day. They had been charged under Section 80 C (ii) of AIPPA, which deals with abuse of journalistic privilege. They were asked to report back at Harare Central Police Station at 09h00 on September 28, 2004. • ALERT Date: September 30, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Tawanda Majoni Violation(s): Victory On September 30 2004, the High Court quashed a three-month jail term imposed against Tawanda Majoni, the assistant editor of the privately-owned “Sunday Mirror”, by a board that had been convened by the Commissioner of Police in September 2002. Majoni was found guilty of breaching the Police Act and told to pay a fine of $500 failure of which he would be jailed for 10 days. Majoni was arrested on September 12, 2002, and charged under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) for allegedly writing falsehoods about the health of Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri and for breaching the Police Act. Charges under AIPPA fell away. • ALERT Date: September 30, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Frank Chikowore Violation(s): Censored On September 30 2004, freelance journalist Frank Chikowore was barred from covering the initial remand hearing of women protestors who were arrested in the town while on their way to Harare to protest against the controversial Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Bill. The police confiscated Chikowore’s national identity card and passport and told him to collect the documents in question upon production of his press accreditation card issued by the Media and Information Commission (MIC). • ALERT Date: October 5, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Tsvangirai Mukwazhi, Desmond Kwande and Howard Burditt Violation(s): Detained On October 5 2004, photo-journalists Tsvangirai Mukwazhi, Desmond Kwande and Howard Burditt were arrested outside Parliament Building in Harare while covering a demonstration by women protestors demonstrating against the proposed Non-Governmental Organisations Bill. The three were taken to Harare Central Police Station where they were detained till the next day after their arrest around 15h00. Mukwazhi and Burditt are freelance photo-journalists while Kwande works for the privately-owned “Daily Mirror”. • ALERT Date: October 6, 2004 Persons/Institutions: Media in Zimbabwe Violation(s): Legislation (threatening) The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) Amendment Bill which will So This Is Democracy? 2004 151 Media Institute of Southern Africa