State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 • DATE: March 19, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Stanley Karombo VIOLATIONS: Detained, beaten, censored O n March 19 2003, freelance journalist Stanley Karombo was arrested and charged under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) for allegedly practicing journalism without accreditation. Karombo says police beat him and searched his home after arresting him on March 19. He was released March 24 on Z$5 000 (approximately US$6) bail. • DATE: May 6, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Lloyd Mudiwa, Geoff Nyarota VIOLATIONS: Victory (positive judgement) T he Supreme Court has passed a landmark judgment against the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) by declaring Section 80 unconstitutional. The full bench of the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Daily News reporter Lloyd Mudiwa and the paper’s former editor-in-chief, Geoff Nyarota. • DATE: May 7, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Daily News, media in Zimbabwe VIOLATIONS: Threatened T afataona Mahoso, chairman of the Media and Information Commission (MIC), has de manded that journalists recruited by the privately-owned newspaper The Daily News two weeks ago surrender accreditation cards issued to them by the MIC. • DATE: May 16, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Andrew Meldrum VIOLATIONS: Expelled O n May 16 2004, Zimbabwean immigration officials deported Meldrum. Officials at Harare Airport forced Meldrum onto a London-bound Air Zimbabwe flight, ignoring a High Court order staying the reporter’s deportation and instructing authorities to produce Meldrum for a court hearing on his expulsion. Meldrum was accused of being an “undesirable inhabitant” of Zimbabwe, in reprisal for his critical reporting on the government. • DATE: May 21, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Andrew Meldrum VIOLATIONS: Expelled (update) B eatrice Mtetwa, the lawyer representing Andrew Meldrum, a correspondent for the United Kingdom-based Guardian who was deported on May 16 2003, has filed an application at the High Court seeking her client’s return. Mtetwa filed the application on May 21. In it, she says that Minister of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi, Chief Immigration Officer Elasto Mugwadi and Evan Siziba, a senior immigration officer, should ensure Meldrum’s return or face jail. • DATE: May 20, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Stanley Karombo VIOLATIONS: Victory (positive judgement) O n May 20 2003, Stanley Karombo, a freelance journalist based in the city of Mutare, was removed from remand by the Magistrates’ Court. Karombo was arrested on March 19 on So This Is Democracy? 2003 120 Media Institute of Southern Africa