Cablegate: "Standard" Editor Arrested Fourth Time

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

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

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