US Embassy: Govt Using The Law To Harass & Punish Chin'ono

The US Embassy in Harare said it is closely monitoring the Zimbabwean government’s use of the legal system to harass and punish journalist Hopewell Chin’ono for reporting on corruption.

In a statement posted on its social media channels this Friday, the Embassy reiterated that one of the cornerstones of democracies is that they encourage press freedoms and that they do not jail journalists. The post read:

We continue to closely monitor the Zimbabwean government’s use of the legal system to harass and punish journalist Hopewell Chin’ono for reporting on corruption. Democracies encourage press freedoms, they don’t jail journalists.

Chin’ono, who was out on bail of charges of incitement to public violence, was re-arrested early this month on fresh charges of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi is set to deliver judgment on Chin’ono’s bail bid, on Friday, 20 November 2020, after he was denied bail by Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, on the fresh charges.