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Standard editor arrested for Mutambara’s article
 
By Our Correspondent
 
HARARE , May 9, 2008 (thezimbabwetimes.com) – The police on Thursday arrested the editor of the privately-owned Standard newspaper for publishing an article the authorities say was allegedly in contempt of court.
 
Harare police arrested Davison Maruziva for publishing an opinion article by MDC faction leader Arthur Mutambara in which he derided a ruling of the High Court last month on the delayed release of the March 29 presidential poll results.
 
The Standard published the article on April 20, titled “A Shameful Betrayal of National Independence”. (Reproduced today as third article in Opinion column.)Mutambara criticised Justice Tendai Uchena for dismissing an application by the opposition MDC to compel the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to release the results of the election.
 
Raphael Khumalo, the chief executive officer of The Standard and The Independent confirmed the arrest saying Maruziva was taken to Harare Central Police Station by detectives from the Law and Order section of the CID.  
 
Khumalo said The Standard editor was being charged under provisions of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
 
He said: “The editor of The Standard has been arrested for publishing an article that the police say was allegedly in contempt of court. The article was written by Mutambara as an Independence day piece”.
 
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) condemned Maruziva’s arrest, saying it was a clear sign that there was no media freedom in Zimbabwe . ZUJ president Matthew Takaona called on the police to stop harassing journalists, most of whom were arrested in the course duty.
 
Takaona said: “What is happening in Zimbabwe is disheartening. Journalists are being harassed while they are at work pursuing lawful activities. This kind of harassment should not be tolerated at all”.
 
Maruziva’s arrest comes a day after police on Wednesday arrested a Harare lawyer hired by the Media Institute for Southern Africa (Misa) to represent detained journalists, accusing him of insulting President Robert Mugabe while at the High Court last Friday.
 
Harrison Nkomo was arrested at his law firm in Harare on allegations of making dangerous public utterances against the head of state in contravention of Section 33 of the Criminal Law Act.
 
Nkomo’s lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa confirmed the arrest adding that the opposition lawyer was still being detained at Harare Central Police Station.
  
The police are alleging that while at the High Court on April 2, Nkomo shouted insults to one Michael Mugabe, a law officer in the Attorney General’s office saying President Robert Mugabe must go because he had failed to run the country.
 
Michael is believed to be a close relative of the embattled Zanu-PF leader President Mugabe.
 
Nkomo is alleged to have said: “My friend can you go and tell your father (President Mugabe) that he must go because he has failed to run this country. Tell him we have suffered enough in this country.”
 
Nkomo was representing former journalist and MDC information director Luke Tamborinyoka, freelance journalist Frank Chikowore and other opposition activists accused of taking part in an illegal stay-away.
 
Maruziva was still in detention by Thursday night after police refused to release him until he appeared in court.
 
 
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