Four journalists have been attacked in Zimbabwe so far this month, drawing sharp condemnation from the press freedom watchdog, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA).
In the latest incident, freelance reporter Paul Pindani was abducted by three masked men, gagged, severely assaulted and left for dead by unknown assailants in Chinhoyi. He was reported yesterday to be battling for his life in hospital.
Three other attacks occurred ahead of the elections set for next month. Masvingo Mirror reporter Bernard Mapwanyire was manhandled by security staff acting for the Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai (MDC-T), the political party that supports prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, while covering primary elections on 8 June.
The day before, MDC-T security staff assaulted Zimbabwe Independent journalist Herbert Moyo as he tried to cover a protest by party activists at the party's headquarters.
On 6 June, Chronicle reporter Mashudu Netsianga was detained and questioned by MDC-T security staff for allegedly gate-crashing a meeting between Tsvangirai and the business community in Bulawayo.
MISA spokesman Nyasha Nyakunu said: "We are saddened and very disturbed by such attacks on journalists. These attacks do not just put the lives of these journalists at risks but they endanger media freedom.
"We would like to reiterate our call to political parties to rein in their supporters… Journalists should be allowed to operate and access news freely."
The Zimbabwe Independent,
in an editorial, said attacks on reporters were unsurprising given that politicians across the party divide, including Tsvangirai, had verbally attacked journalists for doing their work.
The paper said: "Tsvangirai is a courageous leader who has suffered all manner of assaults over the years. But he has not listened to the press and therefore not learnt from it. Beating up journalists is not the best way to win friends and influence people."
Sources: SW Radio Africa/Zimbabwe Independent/New Zimbabwe/Newsday
