**Updates IFEX alerts of 25 January, 22 January, 21 January, 18 January, 15 January and 13 January 1999** (GHM/IFEX) – The following is 22 January 1999 news release issued by the international secretariat of Amnesty International by way of GHM: Zimbabwe Fears for newspaper director high Amnesty International issued today a worldwide alert expressing concern […]
**Updates IFEX alerts of 25 January, 22 January, 21 January, 18 January, 15
January and 13 January 1999**
(GHM/IFEX) – The following is 22 January 1999 news release issued by the
international secretariat of Amnesty International by way of GHM:
Zimbabwe
Fears for newspaper director high
Amnesty International issued today a worldwide alert expressing concern for
the safety of Zimbabwean newspaper director/publisher Clive Wilson, after
his arrest without charge earlier in the day.
“Clive Wilson’s arrest comes one day after the release of two journalists
who were viciously tortured by military police, with the apparent collusion
of the civilian police,” Amnesty International said. “There’s a clear
possibility that he may also be tortured like the other two.”
Clive Wilson, whom Amnesty International considers to be a prisoner of
conscience, is managing director of The Standard newspaper. Two Criminal
Investigations Division (CID) officers took him into custody in connection
with a story printed in The Standard on 10 January which alleged that a coup
plot had been foiled in the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), and that 23
soldiers and officers had been arrested.
Editor Mark Chavunduka was illegally arrested and detained by the ZNA
military police on 12 January 1999. Both Mark Chavunduka and journalist Ray
Choto, who turned himself into civilian police custody on 19 January, were
then handed over to the military interrogators, who beat them with fists,
wooden planks and rubbers sticks, tortured them with electric shocks to the
body and genitals, and wrapped their heads in plastic bags while submerging
them in water tanks. The torturers also threatened the men’s lives and their
families. Both men were considered prisoners of conscience by Amnesty
International.
Amnesty International is alarmed at reports that the civilian police are now
seeking to re-arrest Mark Chavunduka and Ray Choto. If rearrested, Amnesty
International believes there is a strong possibility that the two men may be
tortured or ill-treated again.
Background Information
Editor Mark Chavunduka was illegally detained incommunicado at Cranborne
military barracks in Harare for six days, in defiance of a High Court
judgement on 14 January ordering Minister of Defence Moven Mahachi and Major
Mhonda of the ZNA to release him.
During his interrogation by military police and agents of Zimbabwe’s secret
police, the Central Intelligence Organization (CIO), Chavunduka said his
interrogators indicated that Clive Wilson and other senior staff at the
newspaper group would be arrested as well.
After being charged with “publishing a false story capable of causing alarm
and despondency” under Section 50 of the draconian Law and Order Maintenance
Act, on 21 January both men were taken to Magistrates Court, where they were
released on $10,000 (US$250) bail.
Amnesty International, International Secretariat, 1 Easton Street,
WC1X 8DJ, London, United Kingdom
