Arrests, threats and harassment of journalists While there was a marked decline in the number of cases involving media violations during the period under review compared to the previous year, the severity of the nature of the violations was cause of great concern. A total of seven (7) journalists were unlawfully arrested or detained in 2017 compared to 23 journalists the previous year. This marks a decline of almost 70% (69.5%). In 2017, MISA Zimbabwe recorded the specific assault of eight (8) journalists during the course of their duties compared to the 12 recorded in 2016. (Refer to 2017 Media Violations Statistics for details). The majority of the cases of assault of journalists on duty were perpetrated by the police serve for three which involved army personnel and ruling Zanu PF youths. This was indeed worrying as this came on the backdrop of the September 2016 meeting between the police and a media delegation led by MISA Zimbabwe. At that meeting the police undertook to ensure the security and safety of journalists. Worried by these wanton acts of lawlessness on the part of the police, Harare-based journalists led by MISA Zimbabwe Chairperson Kumbirai Mafunda, on 28 July 2017, marched to Harare Central Police Station protesting the assault by the police of three colleagues employed by the privately owned NewsDay daily newspaper. The Harare-based journalists marched to the police station from the Ambassador Hotel through the central business district following the assault on 27 July 2017 of journalists Obey Manayiti, Sherpherd Tozvireva , Abigail Mutsikidze, and their driver, Raphael Phiri. Manayiti sustained a bruised lip and swollen eye while Tozvireva and Phiri were also roughed up by the plainclothes police. Upon arrival at the police station, the journalists requested to meet the officer-in-charge following the assault of the journalists who were on duty in the central business district. Journalists Blessed Mhlanga and Philemon Jambaya, representing their colleagues, then held a meeting with Inspector Ziburubudu in the presence of MISA Zimbabwe Legal Officer Farai Nhende. The journalists expressed their concern with continued cases involving the harassment and assault of journalists on duty by the police. 6