Zimbabwe anti-riot police on Monday allegedly assaulted and detained The Zimbabwe Mail photojournalist Angela Jimu while she was covering a demonstration by opposition MDC-T party youths in Harare.
REPORT BY TAPIWA ZIVIRA, ONLINE REPORTER
Although police were not immediately available for comment, The Zimbabwe Mail tweeted about the incident.
” #MDCdemo Our photographer #AngelaJimu has been picked and beaten by riot police officer in central Harare while covering an MDC demo,” the paper said in a tweet.
#MDCdemo Our photographer #AngelaJimu has been picked and beaten by riot police officer in central Harare while covering an MDC demo.
— The Zimbabwe Mail (@ZimbabweMail) August 18, 2014
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The incident, which comes as Zimbabwe is hosting a Sadc summit, has sparked outrage among journalists and media freedom defenders who have immediately embarked on a social media campaign to demand the release of Jimu.
Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe is taking over the charimanship of Sadc until next year.
Zimbabwe just can’t help itself, can it? Hosting a regional summit and the arresting and detaining a journalist at the same time
— Nqaba Matshazi (@nqabamatshazi) August 18, 2014
Zimbabwe Police should be ashamed of their action on journalists.Our @AngJimu shld be released NOW
— Moses Matenga (@mmatenga) August 18, 2014
Shame on Zim police! Beating up a journalist! Why? What’s wrong with you? Y’all deserve jail for this! Mnxaa. #AngelaJimu
— R Tendo Tapiwa (@ShhhTendo) August 18, 2014
Is it not allowed anymore to be a journalist? #FreeAngelaJimu
— silvia mukwindidza (@silviasilkwin) August 18, 2014
Hosting a regional Summit. Detaining journalists. How does that work?
— Fungai Machirori (@fungaijustbeing) August 18, 2014
@fungaijustbeing Really shouldn’t matter whether we’re hosting a summit or not. Just don’t do it. Ma1 Cde.
— Ranga Mberi (@RangaMberi) August 18, 2014
Do journos still have freedom? How then do they perform their professional duties fearing for their lives? #FreeAngelaJimu @AngJimu @263Chat
— #IntwasaArtsFest2014 (@DearAngelbert) August 18, 2014
We attack Journalists who are just doing their job and expect the image of Zimbabwe to be transformed @263Chat
— Maston (@mastonmbewe) August 18, 2014
@NewsDayZimbabwe so we are hosting the #SADCSummit and attack journalists in the same breathe #FreeAngelaJimu @263Chat @shiemann
— KumbieB (@KumbieB) August 18, 2014
What sort of justice is this, when someone is arrested for doing their job. ZRP MUST #FREEANGELAJIMU.#journalismisnotacrime
— ZUJ (@ZUJOfficial) August 18, 2014
The MDC-T youths were on one of their demonstrations to demand the 2,2 million jobs promised by the Zanu PF government when it got into power last year.
NewsDay will keep you updated