this report), buttressed the adoption of the principle of co-regulation and an agreed structure on how this co-regulatory framework is going to be implemented. The meeting resolved that the media in Zimbabwe should professionalise, and that to achieve that objective, the Bill should establish a professional media body, which is a professional entry body serving as the lower tier, with the ZMC being the appellate body. The two would jointly enforce a single code of ethics and conduct. The Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services was tasked to formulate principles for this law and structure for consideration by media stakeholders and presentation to Cabinet and that such guiding principles and structures would be used in drafting this law. Arrests, Threats and Harassment of Journalists A total of 36 media workers, of which six (6) were female and 19 male, were either assaulted, arrested, charged, detained, threatened and barred or had their equipment damaged in 2022. The gender of the other 11 journalists could not be ascertained as the recorded incidents involved groups of journalists unidentified journalists. This marked a 64% increase in the number of media workers whose media freedom was violated in 2022 compared to the number reported in 2021. As highlighted earlier in this report, a worrying increase in the number of cases involving the assault of journalists at political rallies and gatherings was witnessed during the year under review. Journalist Mildret Tinofa of HSTV sprained her arm while others had their equipment damaged during a Citizens’ Coalition for Change by-elections campaign rally in Zimbabwe’s Midlands town of Kwekwe on 27 February 2022, which was marred by violence. She sprained her arm in the ensuing violence and commotions. A camera belonging to her employer, HSTV, was reportedly damaged in the melee that followed the violence. Thandiwe Garusah and Leopold Munhende, journalists with NewZimbabwe.com website, lost their mobile phones and a tripod camera stand in the ensuing melee. Robert Tapfumaneyi, a freelance journalist, also had his camera damaged at the rally. This happened when a group of assailants charged on the rally resulting in a stampede as those who were in attendance fled towards the stage where the journalists were positioned, leading to the damage and loss of equipment. Four journalists were also reportedly severely assaulted when violence erupted ahead of a rally that was scheduled to be addressed by Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa in Gokwe in Zimbabwe’s Midlands Province. One of the journalists, Toneo Rutsito, tweeted: We have been attacked, heavily assaulted for taking pictures and videos of around 20 Zanu PF State of the Media Report 12