Blessed Mhlanga: HStv now under siege

Media watchdogs and observers have raised serious concerns over the state of press freedom in Zimbabwe after the state indicated plans to lay charges against Heart and Soul Television (HStv) over press conferences addressed by outspoken war veteran Blessed Geza.

HStv journalist Blessed Mhlanga will today clock 70 days inside Harare Remand Prison over the same press conferences where Geza called for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s removal from office.

Mhlanga is facing allegations of transmitting messages likely to incite public violence under the Cyber and Data Protection Act.

Police have also launched a manhunt for Geza, accusing him of incitement to public violence and other charges.

Observers raised fears over attempts to muzzle HStv by the state.

After over two months of dilly dallying over Mhlanga’s case, detectives visited HStv offices last Tuesday where they indicated that they now wanted the station to be charged jointly with its journalist.

Prosecutors indicated the same position when Mhlanga appeared for routine remand the following day. The trial date has now been set for May 14.

“They are taking people for granted, I mean they have no case against Mhlanga and by reigning in HStv they are scraping the bottom of the legal barrel and they are not going to find a case because in terms of our laws anyone is free to broadcast what they want,” political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya told The Standard.

“This is actually showing a weakness in their case rather than strength because there is no incriminating evidence that they failed to secure on Mhlanga that they can secure in the media station.”

Ngwenya said the government was testing the patience of citizens, who have endured years of misrule and misgovernance under Zanu PF.

“I feel that the government has to start appreciating that Zimbabweans have been quiet and tolerant for such a long time, but this is not a good way where one minute you are talking about being accepted in a global village and the next you are saying Zimbabwe is open and the third minute you are arresting not just journalists but trying to silence the media houses such as HStv,” he said.

MISA regional director and MISA Zimbabwe national director, Tabani Moyo, emphasised the critical role of the media and the potential ramifications of such actions on press freedom.

“It moves the frontiers of our civilisation and serves as an important interlocutor on complex societal issues, enabling citizens to make informed decisions,” Moyo said.

“This is why, as MISA, we have underscored the importance of a fair trial since the beginning of the case of Blessed Mhlanga, and now the state is insisting on jointly charging him with the media house for which he works.

“Without a vibrant media, our society plunges backwards, and we are all losers in the end.”

Media freedom activist Nigel Nyamutumbu expressed fears of a shrinking media space in Zimbabwe.

“It is rather unfortunate that at a time when the global family of nations is commemorating the principles of a free press, the discourse in Zimbabwe remains stuck on retrogressive strategic litigation against independent media,” Nyamutumbu said.

“The clarion call remains that Mhlanga must be granted freedom and the media must be held accountable on the basis of the journalistic standards espoused in the code of conduct and not by costly litigation and criminalisation.”

The Community Newspapers Association of Zimbabwe yesterday celebrated Press Freedom Day by standing in solidarity with Mhlanga.

CNAZ chairman Matthew Takaona accused the government of using the law to punish Mhlanga for his bravery in exposing corruption and speaking truth to power.

“We, therefore, demand the following — bail or immediate release of Mhlanga without further persecution and we call on the international community, lawyers, human rights organisations, parliamentary platforms and democratic governments throughout the world to put pressure on President Mnangagwa to release Mhlanga,” Takaona said.

“Journalism is not a crime, but a pillar of democracy and freedom.”

Last week, United Kingdom’s Lord Jonny Oates called for Mhlanga’s release and criticised Zimbabwe’s media freedom record.

Meanwhile, High Court judge Justice Gibson Mandaza will on Tuesday at 10am hear an appeal by Mhlanga against a recent magistrate court ruling that denied him bail on changed circumstances. The Standard