ZIMBABWE: JOURNALIST BASILDON PETA ARRESTED UNDER ZIMBABWE'S NEW PUBLIC ORDER AND SECURITY LAW SPEAKS TO REPORTERS AFTER POLICE DROP CHARGES

Record ID: 647757

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: JOURNALIST BASILDON PETA ARRESTED UNDER ZIMBABWE'S NEW PUBLIC ORDER AND SECURITY LAW SPEAKS TO REPORTERS AFTER POLICE DROP CHARGES
  • Date: 5th February 2002
  • Summary: (U5) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (FEBRUARY 5, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV: EXTERIOR OF CENTRAL POLICE STATION 0.06 2. CU/SCU: NEWSPAPER HEADLINES RELATING TO JOURNALIST BASILDON PETA'S ARREST (2 SHOTS) 0.17 3. SET UP SHOT FOR PETA, SEATED IN CHAIR IN GARDEN 0.23 4. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BASIDON PETA SAYING: "They accused me of having organised an illegal demonstration at parliament last Wednesday. They said the demonstration was not sanctioned by the police. It was therefore illegal in their opinion." 0.38 (W1) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (RECENT - JANUARY 30, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 5. WIDE OF JOURNALISTS ARRIVING AT PARLIAMENT WITH BANNERS WEARING GAGS 0.46 (U5) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (FEBRUARY 5, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. PUSH IN: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BASIDON PETA SAYING: "When we arrived at the attorney-general's office the police were advised that I have no case to answer for, which I think they knew before they arrested me. So there was no basis of proceeding. I am now told that they have indicated that they are doing more investigations and that they will proceed by way of summons depending on the outcome of their investigations." 1.10 (W1) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (FILE - JANUARY 30, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. VARIOUS OF GAGGED DEMONSTRATORS OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT (3 SHOTS) 1.29 (U5) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (FEBRUARY 5, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 8. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BASIDON PETA SAYING: "As a professional body we are entitled to voice our professional concerns, to voice our anger, and in this particular instance we were angry about the media bill which they were trying to ram through parliament. So we demonstrated against it. The demonstration was very peaceful. Even when they dispersed us we didn't resist - we just went in different directions." 1.55 9. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BASIDON PETA SAYING: "For me they have been harrassing journalists, arresting journalists and their aim is to break down our morale and cow us into being sycophantic professionals. Basically, I am not going to do that. I am going to continue my work as usual and I won't be deterred by acts of harrassment." 2.18 10. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) BASIDON PETA SAYING: "As leader of the union my advice to all media professionals working in this country is they just have to remain strong and withstand all this intimidatory tactics. If we allow ourselves to be frightened then the result is we are not going to do our job and it is the country that loses in the long run. So the struggle continues. That is my word to that." 2.46 11. LV: EXTERIOR CENTRAL POLICE STATION 2.51 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th February 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVAEUZAJOAGC042L6Y6PKRKI1XQH
  • Story Text: Released journalist Basildon Peta has spoken to reporters
    after Zimbabwean police dropped charges against the
    correspondent for the British daily newspaper "The
    Independent", who was arrested under a new security law that
    critics say aims to stifle opposition before an election next
    month.


    Peta, a Zimbabwean national, became the first
    correspondent for the international press to be arrested under
    the new Public Order and Security Act when he was taken by
    police on Monday (February 4).

    The measure, which parliament passed on January 10, makes
    it a crime to criticise or ridicule President Robert Mugabe.

    Peta said police accused him of having organised an
    illegal demonstration at parliament on Wednesday (January 30).

    "They said the demonstration was not sanctioned by the police.

    It was therefore illegal in their opinion", Peta said.

    He continued: "When we arrived at the attorney-general's
    office the police were advised that I have no case to answer
    for, which I think they knew before they arrested me. So there
    was no basis of proceeding.

    Prosecution was abandoned because the new security law
    allows professional bodies to gather and demonstrate without
    police permission if protesters do not discuss political
    issues, Peta's lawyer Hondura said.

    Peta said he had been told the police had indicated "that
    they are doing more investigations and that they will proceed
    by way of summons depending on the outcome of their
    investigations."
    Peta explained that the demonstration on Wednesday had
    been held because "As a professional body we are entitled to
    voice our professional concerns, to voice our anger, and in
    this particular instance we were angry about the media bill
    which they were trying to ram through parliament . So we
    demonstrated against it. The demonstration was very peaceful .

    Even when they dispersed us we didn't resist - we just went in
    different directions."
    Parliament passed the security and media bills weeks
    before March 9-10 presidential elections in which Zimbabwean
    President Robert Mugabe faces his stiffest challenge in 22
    years since leading the country to independence.

    The Independent said police had regularly harassed Peta
    and threatened him with jail over articles he wrote.

    But Peta said he would not be intimidated by harrassment
    of himself and other members of his profession.

    He said: "For me they have been harrassing journalists,
    arresting journalists and their aim is to break down our
    morale and cow us into being sycophantic professionals.

    Basically, I am not going to do that. I am going to continue
    my work as usual and I won't be deterred by acts of
    harrassment."
    Last year Peta's name topped a security service hit list
    of opposition figures. Peta and four other journalists were to
    be "killed or harmed" before the presidential election, The
    Independent said.

    Police told Peta before his arrest on Monday they were
    acting on orders from the highest levels of the government.

    The Independent said police ransacked Peta's house over
    the weekend and he was told to go to the police station on
    Monday.

    Peta said that in his capacity as union leader his advice
    to journalists working in Zimbabwe is "they just have to
    remain strong and withstand all this intimidatory tactics. If
    we allow ourselves to be frightened then the result is we are
    not going to do our job and it is the country that loses in
    the long run. So the struggle continues. That is my word to
    that."
    The crackdown came as the European Union said it would
    impose no sanctions on Mugabe for now because he was not
    blocking deployment of EU election observers.

    EU foreign ministers agreed last week to impose "smart
    sanctions" on the Zimbabwean president and 19 associates if
    Harare prevented the observers deploying by February 3.

    The observers are to check on opposition fears that Mugabe
    will rig the vote. The EU said on Monday that some EU
    officials already in Zimbabwe had been earmarked for work as
    observers.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register