(MISA/IFEX) – On 18 February 2002, Newton Spicer of Spicer Productions, a documentary and film production house, was arrested in Harare, allegedly for operating as a journalist without official accreditation. Spicer was arrested at 4:00 p.m. (local time) in downtown Harare as he was filming the stoning of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change offices […]
(MISA/IFEX) – On 18 February 2002, Newton Spicer of Spicer Productions, a documentary and film production house, was arrested in Harare, allegedly for operating as a journalist without official accreditation.
Spicer was arrested at 4:00 p.m. (local time) in downtown Harare as he was filming the stoning of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change offices by supporters of the ruling party Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). Police arrested Spicer and took him to the Harare Central Police Station Law and Order Section, where he was detained until 9:00 p.m. He was released and advised to visit the police station on 19 February for formal charges to be conferred on him.
Newton’s wife Edwina Spicer informed MISA’s Zimbabwean chapter (MISA-Zimbabwe) that the police said he was operating without official accreditation. She added that Newton is officially accredited but did not have his card with him when he was arrested. The police took Spicer’s video camera and kept it overnight. It has still not been established if the journalist has been charged or whether the video camera has been returned intact.
