News / National
Sunday Mail peddled 'falsehoods' as journalist condemn police actions
03 Nov 2015 at 11:42hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef), Acting Chairperson Njabulo Ncube has condemned in the strongest terms the arbitrary arrest of Sunday Mail editor Mabasa Sasa, investigating editor Brian Chitemba and reporter Tinashe Farawo.
The trio was nabbed on Monday following the publication of a story in the latest edition of the weekly newspaper which fingered top police in the killing of elephants at Hwange National Park.
Said Ncube in a statement "As the representative of all editors in the country, we condemn the practice of arresting journalists for exercise their legitimate jobs. This is a serious violation of section 61 and 62 of the Constitution which guarantees press freedom which also guarantees protection of sources.
"We urge the police to investigate and not to arrest in order to investigate. It is unhelpful and smacks of repression to arrest editors and journalists on issues that are not criminal but is part of their legitimate work, in this particular case, to expose the rot in our society. The police must not cover up for its failures to protect Zimbabwe's wildlife by threatening the media.
"There are better and more civilised ways of dealing with such cases than arresting and detaining journalists, for instance, the police could have lodging a complaint with the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe, or sought to engage the editor and his staff for the right of reply ostensibly to set the record straight.
However, police today said the Sunday Mail story was false and the publication peddled "falsehoods" and describe the editor and his reporters as "overzealous'.
Police said the falshoods have dented and tarnished the image of the organisation for no apparent reason.
The force added that the paper "cannot be allowed to hide behind the privilege of journalism to peddle falsehoods."
Police have also asked Sunday Mail to assist them with investigations to identify the alleged culprits and bring them to book
The trio was nabbed on Monday following the publication of a story in the latest edition of the weekly newspaper which fingered top police in the killing of elephants at Hwange National Park.
Said Ncube in a statement "As the representative of all editors in the country, we condemn the practice of arresting journalists for exercise their legitimate jobs. This is a serious violation of section 61 and 62 of the Constitution which guarantees press freedom which also guarantees protection of sources.
"We urge the police to investigate and not to arrest in order to investigate. It is unhelpful and smacks of repression to arrest editors and journalists on issues that are not criminal but is part of their legitimate work, in this particular case, to expose the rot in our society. The police must not cover up for its failures to protect Zimbabwe's wildlife by threatening the media.
"There are better and more civilised ways of dealing with such cases than arresting and detaining journalists, for instance, the police could have lodging a complaint with the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe, or sought to engage the editor and his staff for the right of reply ostensibly to set the record straight.
However, police today said the Sunday Mail story was false and the publication peddled "falsehoods" and describe the editor and his reporters as "overzealous'.
Police said the falshoods have dented and tarnished the image of the organisation for no apparent reason.
The force added that the paper "cannot be allowed to hide behind the privilege of journalism to peddle falsehoods."
Police have also asked Sunday Mail to assist them with investigations to identify the alleged culprits and bring them to book
Source - Byo24News
