**Updates IFEX alerts of 22 January, 21 January, 18 January, 15 January and 13 January 1999** (NDIMA/IFEX) – The following is a 23 January 1999 NDIMA letter to Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe protesting the detention of journalist Clive Wilson: 23 January 1999 FAX FROM NDIMA To: President Robert Mugabe Fax: 000 263 4 728299 Your […]
**Updates IFEX alerts of 22 January, 21 January, 18 January, 15 January and
13 January 1999**
(NDIMA/IFEX) – The following is a 23 January 1999 NDIMA letter to Zimbabwean
President Robert Mugabe protesting the detention of journalist Clive Wilson:
23 January 1999
FAX FROM NDIMA
To: President Robert Mugabe
Fax: 000 263 4 728299
Your Excellency,
On 21 January, we sent you an appeal on behalf of two journalists, Mark
Chavunduka and Roy Choto, who are facing charges arising out of their
professional duties of keeping the Zimbabwean public informed.
We protested the inhuman treatment and alleged torture of the writers while
in military and police custody and urged you to order investigations on
their claims and bring those who may have contravened the State or
international laws to book.
Even as we await your reaction to our appeal, we are deeply perturbed to
learn that the managing editor of the “Standard” newspaper, the same paper
that Chavunduka and Choto worked for, Mr. Clive Wilson, was arrested on 22
January by members of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and is now
in custody. We fear Mr. Wilson, like his colleagues Chavunduka and Choto,
might be subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment while in custody. We
believe that Mr. Wilson’s arrest and detention are illegal and therefore
urge you to:
i) order his immediate release
ii) ensure he is not subjected to torture or ill-treatment while in custody
iii) drop all charges brought against the three journalists working for the
“Standard” newspaper.
We would like to remind you once again that the arrests, incarceration and
ill-treatment contravene Articles 5 and 19 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
which Zimbabwe has signed, and Article 7 and 19 of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We are persuaded it is in your own
interest and that of your government to adhere to and respect international
laws and covenants.
Again, we anticipate your response to this and the earlier appeal.
Respectfully,
Sam Mbure
Programme Director
cc Mr. Moven Mahachi, Minister of Defence
Recommended Action
Similar appeals can be sent to:
Appeals To
President Robert Mugabe
Office of the President
Causeway, Harare
Zimbabwe
Fax: +263 4 708 557
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
