PROMINENT investigative journalist Tawanda Majoni, who was summoned by police over his work, was on Tuesday released without a charge.
Majoni, who is the director of the Information for Development Trust (IDT), is a columnist for The Standard.
He was summoned to Harare Central Police Station by officers from the Police's CID Law and Order on Monday.
In a statement, IDT said police had not preferred any charges against Majoni yet.
The police said they needed clarification on an X post by IDT on May 3, 2024 relating to World Press Freedom Day commemorations held in Bulawayo.
IDT is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to building the capacity of journalists to investigate corruption in Zimbabwe and southern Africa.
"The senior detectives asked Majoni to explain whether or not he had made utterances that incited Zimbabweans to revolt against the current government," IDT said in a statement.
"Majoni insisted that he never incited Zimbabweans to rebel against the government during his speech at the commemoration or at any other time and place.
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"He also pointed out that he was apolitical and, as a journalist, could not engage in civil activism or disobedience.
"The Law and Order bosses then requested Majoni to summarise his response in a statement and let him go without charge."
But IDT suspects a third hand in influencing police to lay charges against him.
"While IDT is heartened and encouraged by the professionalism displayed by the senior detectives, we are disturbed by what seems to be a prolonged attempt by some people to try and influence our security forces to persecute bona fide investigative journalists like Majoni," IDT added.
"This tends to seriously undermine freedom of the media and access to reliable information.
"This concern arises from the fact that in the complaint that had been shared with the Law and Order section relating to the X post was a print-out containing an old internet-based picture of Majoni.
"The print-out had words written in Chinese."
