Newspaper’s managing editor arrested, fears for his well-being

(MISA/IFEX) – The managing-editor of the “Standard” newspaper, Clive Wilson, was arrested on 22 January 1999 by members of the police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID). **New case and update to IFEX alerts of 22 January, 21 January, 18 January, 15 January and 13 January 1999** Iden Wetherall, deputy editor of the “Zimbabwe Independent”, the sister […]

(MISA/IFEX) – The managing-editor of the “Standard” newspaper, Clive Wilson,
was arrested on 22 January 1999 by members of the police’s Criminal
Investigation Department (CID).

**New case and update to IFEX alerts of 22 January, 21 January, 18 January,
15 January and 13 January 1999**

Iden Wetherall, deputy editor of the “Zimbabwe Independent”, the sister
newspaper of the “Standard”, told MISA that CID offices first interviewed
Wilson in his office at around 10:30 a.m. (local time) on 22 January. They
then returned at around 1:30 p.m. (local time) with a warrant for his arrest
and promptly took him away.

Wetherall expressed grave concern for the well-being of Wilson, and feared
that he might be handed over to the military for interrogation. He said it
was most likely that Wilson would be detained over the weekend, and that he
may be charged with the same provisions now facing the editor of the
“Standard”, Mark Chavunduka, and reporter Roy Choto.

Wetherall said his concern that Wilson may be handed over to the military
stemmed from an incident earlier this week when seven military officers
tried to abduct Wilson from his office. The military officials entered the
office of the “Standard” and wanted to arrest Wilson illegally, since they
did not have a warrant. However, the timely arrival of a foreign television
crew scared the officials, who then left.

Background Information

On 14 January, the Zimbabwean High Court ordered the government to release
Chavunduka arguing that his detention was unlawful. The government
(military) however refused to abide by the court order saying civilian
courts have no jurisdiction over military camps where Chavunduka was being
held. A second order was issued by the High Court, demanding that the
Minister of Defence produce Chavunduka before 22:00 hours (local time) on 18
January. Again the military defied this and instead pretended it would be
handing Chavunduka over to the police to be charged under a civil process.

Choto was arrested on 19 January after police shrewdly persuaded the
newspaper’s lawyers to convince Choto to come out of hiding. The lawyers
were led to believe that both journalists would be charged under the
(civilian) Law and Order Act, that they would have access to their lawyers
and families and that they would be able to apply for bail.

On 21 January, shortly after the two journalists had been released on bail,
they recounted how they had been tortured at the hands of the military. Both
men were beaten all over their bodies with fists, wooden planks and rubber
sticks, particularly on the soles of their feet, and given electric shocks
all over the body, including the genitals. They were also subjected to the
“submarine”, where their heads are wrapped in plastic bags and then
submerged in a water tank until they suffocate.

Both men have been charged under the Law and Order Maintenance Act of 1960
for publishing false reports that were “likely to cause alarm, fear or
despondency to the public, or section thereof.” The offence carries with it
a maximum prison sentence of seven years. They were not asked to plead and
were remanded to appear for trial on 22 February. They were also instructed
to surrender their travel documents.

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