US embassy cable - 02HARARE1275

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Identifier:	02HARARE1275
Wikileaks:	View 02HARARE1275 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Harare
Created:	2002-05-29 06:11:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	PREL PHUM KPAO ZI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS HARARE 001275 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S (KRAFT), AF/PD (COX AND ROBERTSON) 
 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, KPAO, ZI 
SUBJECT: "STANDARD" EDITOR ARRESTED FOURTH TIME 
 
1.   On May 28 Bornwell Chakaodza, editor of the 
    independent weekly "Standard" was arrested for the 
    fourth time in less than two weeks.  As has become 
    customary, Chakaodza was picked up by police at his 
    office, taken to Harare Central police station, and 
    charged with violating Section 80 1.b. of the Access 
    to Information and Protection of Privacy Act" (AIPPA). 
    That section of AIPPA deal with "abusing journalistic 
    privileges" by "publishing falsehoods.  "Standard" 
    entertainment editor Fungayi Kanyuchi was also 
    arrested on May 28 on the same charges.  The May 28 
    arrest was Kanyuchi's third in 12 days.  Both 
    journalists  were released after being charged and 
    posting bail.  Neither was mistreated. 
 
2.   According to the paper's lawyer, the May 28 
    arrests were for a column Kanyuchi wrote about the 
    jail conditions he experienced when he was arrested 
    with Chakaodza on May 16. 
 
3.   Chakaodza's previous arrests were on May 16, 22 
    and 23.  The sustained harassment of Chakaodza and his 
    staff continues to bleed the "Standard" of time and 
    money for bail and lawyers, but has also become a 
    perverse point of pride for the paper.  Chakaodza and 
    his colleagues remain upbeat and determined to 
    continue publishing stories they believe to be true 
    and in the public interest. 
 
SULLIVAN