A Harare based journalist, Leopold Munhende has been arrested for filming the police as they arrested the ARTUZ leaders during their #PayDayFuneral protest at the government complex today.
Munhende is a journalist with an online publication, new Zimbabwe.com and the police took him while he was filming the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) leaders, Obert Masaraure and Doug Coltart being arrested.
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) national director, Tabani Moyo told 263Chat that the institute is very worried by the rate at which journalist are being attacked and arrested.
“We are witnessing a very worrying phase that the government is using an attack approach on journalists which is the second from the Zimbabwe Morning Post one within two weeks and it departs from the constitutional provision which guarantees freedom of the media.
“It is therefore our call that the government be held accountable on these attacks and there must be a strong massage from the government in terms of how are they going to respond to issues of safety and security of the media when they are discharging their duties,” said Moyo.
Local lawyer, Advocate Fadzai Mahere condemned the arrest of ARTUZ leaders on Twitter saying according to the law, police have no right to do what they did and the arrest itself was unconstitutional.
“At the @ARTUZ_teachers teachers’ protest, the riot police have descended heavily, manhandled protesters. @OMasaraure, @DougColtart and others have been arrested.
“The protesters were completely peaceful. Trade unions are exempted from POSA. This is unconstitutional & ruthless,” wrote Adv Mahere on twitter.
MISA Zimbabwe has since deployed lawyer, Chris Mhike to locate Munhende.
