State of the media in Southern Africa - 2003 The incident occurred while Chibvuri was covering a parliamentary by-election. • DATE: December 8, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Martin Chimenya VIOLATIONS: Detained (charged), censored M artin Chimenya, a journalist for the Voice of the People Communications Trust (VOP), was arrested on December 8 2003 in the city of Masvingo, 293 kilometres south of the capital, Harare. His tape recorder and tapes were confiscated. He was charged under Section 79 (1) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) for allegedly practicing as a journalist without accreditation. The Magistrate’s Court released Chimenya on Z$15,000 bail (approx. US$19) on December 10. He was ordered to appear in court on December 23. His tape recorder and tapes have yet to be returned. • DATE: December 9, 2003 PERSONS/INSTITUTIONS: Internet/website(s) VIOLATIONS: Legislation (censorship) T he Zimbabwean government is planning to introduce new measures to police all broadcast and Internet-based information circulation in a bid to control the flow of information in the country, The Daily Mirror reported on December 9 2003. According to the newspaper, this move, if successfully completed, would mean that the government will be able to monitor individual information, messages and letters, which could lead to the arrest of all those involved in circulating information that the government says “undermines the sovereignty of the country.” So This Is Democracy? 2003 130 Media Institute of Southern Africa