Zimbabwe police release journalists over MDC ringtone story

Jul 16, 2011, 17:43 GMT

Harare - Zimbabwean police have released four journalists arrested for covering the eviction of a police officer, who was reportedly sacked for having the prime minister's party's song as his mobile phone ringtone, one of the four announced Saturday.

'We were released without charges. But they warned us not to cover issues which are sensitive,' said Pindai Dube, one of the journalists who had been arrested Friday.

Dube said he, together with other freelance journalists Nqobani Ndlovu, Oscar Nkala and Pamenus Tuso had been moved from Ntabazinduna police station to Bembesi to confuse the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights group, which was trying to locate them.

'The police ordered us to switch off our phones,' he added. The four freelance journalists had gone to the police station to cover the eviction of a policeman who was accused of supporting Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Police sources in Bulawayo said the officer, Tedious Chisango, was dismissed from the police force for having an MDC song as the ring tone on his mobile phone.

Friday's arrests come weeks after that of editor Nevanje Madanhire, reporter Patience Nyangove and Loud Ramakgapola in connection with a story that The Sunday Standard published covering the detention of Jameson Timba, a minister in Tsvangirai's office.

The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists condemned the arrests, saying it confirmed that the country was a 'rogue state like Burma (Myanmar) and Iran.'