CPJ demands release of Zimbabwe journalist

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release journalist Gideon Madzikatidze, who has been in detention since February 18 on charges of cyberbullying and broadcasting without a licence.

Madzikatidze, a reporter with online news platform Bulawayo24, was arrested over an article alleging bribery by a local waste management company. He is scheduled to appear at the Harare Magistrate's Court on February 25 for a bail application hearing.

In a statement, CPJ's Africa Director Angela Quintal criticised the authorities' actions, saying licensing regulations and cybercrime provisions should not be used to criminalise legitimate journalism. She described the continued detention of a journalist for more than a week over a published report as a disproportionate response and urged authorities to drop all charges and allow journalists to operate without fear of arrest.

Madzikatidze's lawyer, Godwin Giya, told CPJ that the state was opposing bail. He said the defence team was due back in court on Wednesday after the magistrate was absent from Monday's proceedings.

According to the charge sheet reviewed by CPJ, the state alleges that between December 15 and 16, Madzikatidze published a story accusing the leadership of Geo Pomona Waste Management of bribing journalists and editors to avoid public scrutiny.

If convicted, Madzikatidze faces up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $700 under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for cyberbullying. He also faces a potential three-month jail term and/or a $700 fine under Section 7(1) of the Broadcasting Services Act. The penalties were confirmed by Giya and the Media Institute of Southern Africa - Zimbabwe.

A source familiar with the case told CPJ, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, that it was unclear why authorities were invoking provisions that criminalise the unlicensed airing of television or radio programming, given that the story was published solely on a website.

Bulawayo24, named after Zimbabwe's second-largest city, has provided local and international news coverage for more than a decade.

CPJ said its requests for comment from Geo Pomona's legal representative, Dorothea Moyo, and from national police spokesperson Paul Nyathi went unanswered at the time of publication.