US embassy cable - 01HARARE3380

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DAILY NEWS EDITOR RELEASED, TRAVELS TO U.S.

Identifier: 01HARARE3380
Wikileaks: View 01HARARE3380 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2001-11-14 07:30:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Tags: ZI PREL PHUM
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

140730Z Nov 01

 

                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ3802

PAGE 01        HARARE  03380  140910Z 
ACTION INR-00   

INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    A-00     ACQ-00   CIAE-00  USNW-00  
      DODE-00  DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  L-00     
      VCE-00   NSAE-00  TEST-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   
      NFAT-00  SAS-00     /002W
                  ------------------3DF3FA  140910Z /38    
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0264
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
UNCLAS HARARE 003380 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR SCHLACHTER, AF/P FOR 
SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI, PREL, PHUM 
SUBJECT: DAILY NEWS EDITOR RELEASED, TRAVELS TO U.S. 
 
 
1.   DAILY NEWS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GEOFFREY NYAROTA AND HIS 
    FORMER BUSINESS PARTNER WILFRED MBANGA WERE RELEASED 
    FROM POLICE CUSTODY ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9 AFTER 
    APPEARING IN COURT AND BEING CHARGED WITH THREE COUNTS 
    OF CONTRAVENING A SECTION OF THE ZIMBABWE INVESTMENT 
    CENTER (ZIC) ACT.  THE CHARGES RELATE TO THE USE OF TWO 
    SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT COMPANY NAMES ON ARTICLES OF 
    INCORPORATION FILED IN 1998.  NYAROTA AND MBANGA WERE 
    ARRESTED AT ABOUT 0600 ON NOVEMBER 8 AND DETAINED 
    OVERNIGHT AT THE RHODESVILLE POLICE STATION IN HARARE. 
    THEY APPEARED BEFORE MAGISTRATE WESTON NYAMWANZA ON 
    FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9.  THE TWO PLEADED NOT GUILTY AND 
    WERE RELEASED UPON PAYMENT OF Z$10,000 BAIL EACH. 
 
2.   MAGISTRATE NYAMWANZA ORDERED NYAROTA AND MBANGA TO 
    SURRENDER THEIR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, REPORT EVERY TUESDAY TO 
    THE POLICE, NOT TO INTERFERE WITH WITNESSES, AND TO REMAIN 
    RESIDENT AT THEIR HOMES UNTIL THE CASE IS CONCLUDED. 
    NYAROTA, HOWEVER, WAS ALLOWED TO DEPART HARARE ON NOVEMBER 
    11 TO TRAVEL TO NEW YORK WHERE HE WILL ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE 
    TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS' "PRESS FREEDOM AWARD FOR COURAGE IN 
    JOURNALISM" ON NOVEMBER 20.  HE IS EXPECTED TO APPEAR AGAIN 
    IN COURT ON NOVEMBER 27. 
 
3.   MEANWHILE, THE MEDIA INSTITUTE OF SOUTHERN AFRICA 
    (MISA) ISSUED A STATEMENT ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 
    DENOUNCING THE ARREST OF NYAROTA AND MBANGA AS 
    "UNACCEPTABLE IN ANY DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY."  INFORMATION 
    MINISTER JONATHAN MOYO WROTE AN ARTICLE FOR THE 
    NOVEMBER 13 EDITION OF THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY 
    "THE HERALD" SHARPLY CRITICAL OF THE MISA STATEMENT. 
    MOYO CHARACTERIZED IT "OUTRAGEOUS AND DELIBERATELY 
    CALCULATED TO UNDERMINE THE RULE OF LAW IN ZIMBABWE." 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  03380  140910Z 
 
SULLIVAN 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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